Leaving It All Behind
by tshapo-chi
Summary: Witnesses were disappearing from protective custody right and left; no rhyme or reason to the order in which they are taken out. Only one seems able to escape the villan's wrath. What is their connection with the wayward son? YAOI, LANGUAGE, VIOLENCE
1. Chapter 1

AN: Here I am with another new story. This one is a mystery, and i hope to keep everyone a little surprised. I'm anticipating being able to upload every week, but I warn you that I am moving at the end of the month so there might be a week or so delay when switching over my internet to the new house. And so... I hope you guys enjoy!!!

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Chapter 1

"Run, you've been found!" the hushed voice on the other end of the line urged.

The cell phone, that he wasn't supposed to have, snapped shut and was shoved into the pocket of his borrowed pants. An ear to the door told him that the officers guarding him outside were still occupied with their conversation and hadn't heard the soft vibrating that alerted him to the dreaded call. This was the third time that man had saved his life. Quickly, a window was opened and a well toned body slipped out onto the narrow ledge. Shimmying down the drainpipe would be nothing compared to what he had done last time to escape. Checking to see that the coast was clear, he took off into the night just as the front door flew in with enough force to embed an imprint of the door handle on the wall across from where it was hung.

Men sitting at a small table reached for their guns, but not fast enough for them to be of use. Single shots from a silenced pistol ended each of their lives before any of them could shout out a warning. Two more men came running from the back and were met with the same fate. When all of the undercover officers had been taken out, the shooter ambled over the dead bodies towards the locked door in the rear of the house.

"Shave and a haircut…" the man growled out in a light British accent, tapping the rhythm on the wall with the silencer as he closed in on the room. "Aww doesn't the rabbit want to play?"

The man grinned evilly as he turned the handle and slowly swung the door open. The room was dark, the lights having been turned off by the occupant. Surprised that there was no reaction to his arrival, the man quickly turned on the lights and began searching the room, cursing loudly when he came up empty. Just to be sure, he tore apart the closet, threw the bed upside down, and continued the destruction into the bathroom and second bedroom. The house was void of any other living person. A cell phone was pulled out and had the numbers punched furiously.

"It's Salom. He's gone… You think we're bloody stupid? Aye, we checked again. He must have slipped out the window when he heard the front door open." The man named Salom sifted through the papers lying on the table as he listened to the rant on the other end. "Grrrrrr… we know we need him. Just have your informant keep her ears open for where they stash him next. We'll meet up with Ryu and go from there"

Salom keyed off the phone and slipped it back in his jacket pocket, taking one last look for any information that might prove useful. Finding it all useless, he tossed it back over his shoulder and walked out. When he reached his car he pulled out a large gas can, returning quickly to the safe house. In minutes, the supposed safe house was engulfed in flames and the arsonist appeared to vanish into thin air.

oOoOoOo

Sandalwood Towers sat on the corner of 23rd and Washington Blvd. in the outskirts of Daleville. It was a quaint apartment complex filled with a wide variety of tenants. On the first floor there was a sweet old couple that took everyone below the age of 30 under their wing and insisted that they call them Granny and Papa. Next to them was the resident grouch who had to have been in her late eighties at least, but claimed to be only half that. The second floor had mostly young couples, and also the beautiful twin call-girls. The fourth and fifth floors were a mesh of everything from cab drivers to lounge singers. A few of them had kids, but for the most part the building was relatively quiet. However, it was the third floor that drew the most attention of all.

The middle floor was home to the college aged young adults and Ms Kokoro, who lived with her granddaughter Chimney. It was because of Ms Kokoro that the old lift had been repaired and the Laundromat in the basement updated. The old woman may be hard on the eyes, but she sure knew how to get something done when needed. Also on the third floor was the building's gorgeous heartthrob, Zoro. With his odd green hair and godly 6ft stature, women constantly tried to move in to the apartments next to him, thinking they just might get a chance. He was also the one they called on if there was a problem person or suspicious character bothering someone. His muscular build, coupled with his fearsome glare, was all it usually took to dissuade anyone from making a scene. If that failed, the man's skills at kendo and basic hand-to-hand combat were enough to send them packing. Who in his or her right mind would fuck with someone brandishing a sword and grinning evilly? Though Zoro couldn't have been past his early 20's, he commanded the respect of everyone living there, and even the building's owner. Well, almost everyone. Jigorou, the superintendant, living in the most lavish apartment on the first floor, hated his guts, blaming Zoro for every failed attempt to get the female tenants to go out with him.

Ms Kokoro adopted Zoro as her surrogate nephew and was constantly inviting him over to drink. It took her almost a year of patience and pestering to get him to understand she would not give up on getting him to be civil to someone. He had lived in the building for three years now, and she was the only one he ever spoke to kindly on a regular basis, ignoring even the voluptuous twins who lived just below him. Even though he could be counted on to help out when the going was tough, Zoro Roronoa was a very private and reclusive person. More than likely it was due to his scarred past.

When Zoro's parents died in a plane crash four years ago, he had been devastated. Everything about him changed, including his looks. He let his hair grow long, wore a goatee, and gained three piercings in his left ear; one for each person he had lost too soon in life. Zoro even took to the underground and began competing in illegal matches, nearly killing each of his opponents. It took two years and the help of several friends to pull him from the arena, assuring him there was a reason to live for, before he finally stopped the insane battles. The then college drop-out began his search for that reason they spoke so highly of, and to this day had yet to find it. Now instead of fighting, he taught in a local dojo and assisted a family friend with some questionable investigative tactics for the police department. Occasionally, Zoro would still go down to the cages, but no longer on a regular basis. It had been over two months since his last visit. Zoro was still undefeated, and he only came out for the big dogs, scoffing at the small-fries that liked to talk so much shit he had to watch where he stepped.

Zoro had to laugh when one night he came home from a fight and walked right into Ms Kokoro on her way back from the laundry. It took him an hour to convince her he had not been mugged and everything was all right. The next day he had all kinds of gifts on his doorstep from several people on all floors. He chuckled at some of them, a can of mace, and others immediately went into the trash, like the certificate for a free lap dance from twins Mozu and Kiwi. How he was so highly thought of when he had never even spoken to most of these people was beyond him. Throwing out a deviant or two couldn't mean that much to them. Ok, so maybe it had been a street gang or two, but it was really all the same in Zoro's mind. Still, the fighter decided that from now on, he should crash elsewhere and clean up after a bloody match.

This particular evening, Zoro sat at a card table in the back of an auto chop shop trying his best to not win much more than necessary. Soon, he would need to wind this up and get down to business. Fortunately, he had four lovely queens, and felt confident on throwing his entire stack into the pot.

"All-in boys." Zoro fidgeted with his cards in fake nervousness.

Greedy leers came at him from round the table, glancing over to the sizable pot, ripe for the taking. Four pairs of eyes sent silent signals to each other and they folded. The last man to call was the supposed leader of the group. He eyed Zoro for a long moment before taking the cigar out of his mouth and speaking in a nasally Brooklyn accent.

"So, you're willing to bet your last dime here, huh faggot?"

The snake had continued to call Zoro a fag because of his long hair, tied neatly at the nape of his neck, and the fact that he kept refusing the women that were offered to him. Zoro was getting fed up with it and had to fight the strong desire to stand up and pummel the greasy looking asshole into the ground. Sadly if he did that, the detective sitting outside waiting to make the arrest would be severely pissed and make his life hell. Grinding his teeth together to keep from saying the wrong thing, Zoro simply nodded his head. His actions made him seem unsure and it gave the desired effect.

"I don't have that much here with me, but maybe we could come to an agreement if you win. What do you say?" The gangster gave him a suggestive wink and put the stogie back between his pale lips.

"I doubt you have anything I'd be interested in." Zoro's hands shook slightly from anger, but played it off as nerves.

Laughing it off, the guy pulled out a bag of white powder and placed it on top of the money. It was likely to weigh several ounces, if Zoro was right. The unofficial nark tentatively reached out to pick up the bag, slowly palming the drugs and planning his next move. Zoro poked a small hole in the pouch and used his pinky to taste the contents.

"Good shit. Where'd it come from?" Zoro sat the bag back on the table and picked up his cards again.

"I've got this supplier overseas that takes care of me. So, you willing to accept the trade?"

"Yah, show me what you got." Zoro smirked with unabashed confidence.

The thug laid down his full house, kings over aces and smirked as the smile left Zoro's face. "I'm so sorry, but I think I'll be taking my money now," he said sweetly.

Zoro simply placed the cards in a stack and slowly spread them to reveal the winning hand. "I think not," he taunted.

Guns were pulled and aimed at Zoro's head as the green-haired man collected his money and drugs. He didn't blink as the pistols were cocked and brought closer to his face. Zoro raised a single eyebrow in question, and continued to stuff the bills into his pockets, leaving the bag of cocaine to last.

"I do believe you placed this willingly on the table. And as I remember, you made me leave my weapon at the door. It seems a little unfair that your boys didn't have to do the same." Zoro tossed the baggie lightly in the air a few times before pocketing it as well. "So, same time next week?"

The greasy leader threw his head back and laughed; a signal for everyone to lower their weapons. When he collected himself, he stood and walked around to place his arm over Zoro's shoulders. Zoro ground his teeth together again to keep from lashing out at the way too intimate gesture. They started walking to the bay doors where Zoro collected his Desert Eagle, tension still thick in the air around the henchmen.

"I like you, man. Not what I expected at all. Make sure you bring that luck back with you, too. You're gonna need it. Oh, and if you need more," he gestured to the pocket holding the drugs and winked, "just let me know. I'll treat you real good."

Zoro grunted in response and walked out to his car. The second he rounded the corner, he pulled up alongside a black Yukon and handed over the white powder and pistol. Detective Smoker nodded in thanks and radioed in the signal to move on the target. Zoro grinned as he thought about the several thousands of dollars he had been able to pocket in winnings.

That was probably the only perk to this job. He had to hand over the illegal items, but the cash he was usually able to keep. The one exception was the time he was carrying over half a million dollars. Smoker had made him give that back. Fucking bastard. Working with the police wasn't exactly what he had in mind when his father's friend had approached him last year, but times were tough and he needed the money. The thrill of the fight was an added bonus. Often he had the chance to wail on a few of the more violent criminals a little before he had to leave, and that always put a smile on the green-haired man's face. Too bad he couldn't have released a bit of that frustration on the men tonight.

Zoro drove home in his old GTO and pulled into the parking space marked 3C. It might not be impressive on the outside, but it was his. Covering a large yawn, he got out of the car and locked the doors. He could see the light on in the corner apartment on the third floor, showing that his adoptive aunt had been waiting up for him. That woman would never learn. Zoro shook his head, knowing that she would probably scold him good the next time she saw him. He began to wonder when she had become such an important person in his life.

Taking the lift to his floor, Zoro trudged to his spacious two bedroom apartment and unlocked the door. He entered the large living area and turned on the lights, frowning when yet another blub flashed and blacked out. A heavy sigh escaped him as he began to trudge through the debris of his wrecked life. Making his way over to the large double window, he leaned against one of the wooden bookcases flanking it and stared out at the park across the street. The only people out at this hour were of questionable nature and Zoro took the time to study a few of them as they tried to pass inconspicuously through the streetlights. Turning back around he studied the room, wondering just when everything had gone so bad. A tightening in his chest reminded him immediately when the change had taken place. The day his parents were taken from him.

Zoro tripped over a pile of books that had never been replace on the shelves; titles ranging from Advanced Physics to a diagnostic book for 1976-1982 Chevy trucks. He picked them up and shoved aside one of the random trophies to put the reading material somewhat in place. Zoro scowled at the gold colored man holding a sword, remembering how happy he had been when the officials had presented it to him. Now it was just served as a bookend, something to collect dust, having lost all meaning.

His eyes drifted over to the only clean spot in the room, the area surrounding his Bow Flex. Normally, Zoro would take out his frustrations with a vigorous workout, but not even that appealed to his disheartened mood. Fatigue tugged at his body, and a half hearted laugh escaped his lips when Zoro realized that he didn't even have a place to sit down anymore. The couch was buried under dirty clothes, old newspapers and unopened mail, and the matching side chair was currently home to an array of boxes containing old car parts that needed to be returned to the shop. Not even his dining area was usable anymore.

Old takeout boxes littered the dining table and most of the kitchen counters, revealing his lack of cooking skills as well as his lack of a social life. Lonely dinners were a common thing for him, only having a few select people that would ever put up with his nearly insatiable appetite and lack of table etiquette. A sink full of dirty dishes did show that he had eaten a cooked meal at one point, but there was no way to tell just how long it had been since that had happened. Zoro thought hard for a moment before shaking his head; he had no idea the last time he had attempted to make anything himself. It was a shame too; the kitchen was actually well designed, fitted for even the most enthusiastic chef to work in.

The flashing light on his answering machine caught his eye and Zoro walked over to the island bar separating the kitchen from the living room. Pressing the button, he waited inevitably to hear the bitching voice of his loan shark demanding something or another from him. A strange sense of disappointment set in when the woman's voice was unfamiliar, and her only desire was to sell him a subscription to… Zoro pressed the delete button as he went to the fridge.

That was odd. He didn't remember having anything green to eat in a long time. Zoro started to open the Tupperware container and realized that he actually couldn't even remember the last time he went grocery shopping. He wrinkled his nose and tossed the questionable item back in, looking for something that would help quench his hunger but finding nothing. Expired milk, molded leftovers, rotten vegetables, a partial bottle of soda, and beer; just like everything else in his life: pointless.

Zoro threw his keys on the kitchen bar by the phone along with the money from his pocket and decided that maybe it would be best to just call it a night. Stretching his arms high above his head, he yawned loudly before shedding his shirt as he walked to the bathroom to take a shower. Koushirou, his sensei, had set up some self defense class at a local woman's shelter for him to teach relatively early the next day. It wasn't his idea of fun, but it helped clear his conscious and pay the bills. Well, of course with the money he had just collected on this last job, he wouldn't really need to work for at least a few weeks. Just last month he had finally paid back all of the money he had borrowed from his friends when things had been so bad for him. Now anything he earned was to stay in his own pocket, and not be given to a money grubbing, demon eyed, redheaded witch who had a possessed calculator that couldn't add interest up right.

Bright lights lit up the large earth toned room, and Zoro kicked aside the dirty towels on the floor as he entered the bathroom. The level of filth was much less in here than the front room, though he had an idea that was due to the fact that he didn't spend as much time in here as the rest of his place. He at least would wipe off the counter after brushing his teeth in the mornings, though blue water in the commode was probably the only thing that saved the porcelain throne. Zoro looked over to the whirlpool and debated if he wanted to soak or just take a shower. Judging from the layer of dust in the tub, a shower it was.

Reaching into the double sized shower, Zoro turned on the hot water, thanking the building designer again and again for putting in two showerheads, one on each side, and watched as the steam began to fill the room. He kicked off his boots and jeans, taking a moment to toss the boots down the hall towards the front door. His reflection in the mirror took him off guard and Zoro stood there studying himself for a moment. Little scars littered his arms and legs, though everything paled in comparison to his torso. Large calloused fingers traced down the diagonal scar across his chest and stomach as he thought back to that night so many years ago. The fighter had eluded him as of yet, but it just meant that Zoro had more time to train and prepare for their next match. It was for that reason alone he didn't quit the cages completely.

Stepping into the shower, Zoro ran a hand over his face and wrinkled his nose at the smell of cheap cigars still clinging to his skin. The night's events played over again in his mind as he washed away the feel of that asshole's arm around his shoulders. Zoro's jaw ached from the pressure of grinding his teeth, popping as the sleepy man failed to contain another yawn. Finally satisfied that he only smelled of soap now, the water was turned off and Zoro grabbed a towel to dry his hair and a little of his body.

The locked door on his right was ignored as he continued to the master bedroom, dreading the sight of the mess he knew would greet him. Flicking on the light, Zoro tried to ignore the copious amounts of clothes and shoes that littered the room. The mirrored closet doors on the right were closed for some reason, making the magnitude of the disaster seem to double. His double Papasan chair with a dark red cushion had been knocked over at some point by the window and the strange fan shaped floor lamp behind it seemed to be leaning a bit more than usual. It probably happened when he came home drunk a few nights ago. The king size bed was a mess of black sheets, red blankets and white pillows, the only welcoming sight he had seen all night. Almost the instant his still damp head hit the pillow, Zoro was asleep.

0o0o0o0o0

Zoro cringed when he saw the frail, broken women that made up his self defense class. They cowed behind each other, hiding their black eyes and busted mouths. Most of them were probably scared to just be in the room with him, and one had even broke down and began crying. Didn't his sensei realize that sending a scowling, aggressive man with a muscular build into a room full of females that had been abused was the worst idea ever? These women needed a kind young girl with a good right hook. He idly wondered if Robin was busy. Too late now.

"Good afternoon ladies. I will be your aggression target today." Time to practice that charm technique Ace was always raving about.

By the end of the class, almost every one of them had hit him in at least one of the four spots he focused on: solar plexus, instep, nose and groin. Fortunately, he blocked all but one blow to his face, saving him from too much embarrassment on the off chance that they managed to bloody his nose. The one woman who had landed a hit to him broke down and began crying as soon as she realized what she had done. It took him half an hour after he had dismissed the others to calm her down enough so she could drive. When everyone was finally gone, Zoro sat down gingerly on the bench in the locker room wondering how in the world he would have survived today if he had forgotten to wear a cup. Some of those women had a hell of a swing on them.

Zoro stood in the shower letting the hot water work loosen some of the muscles in his shoulders. Closing his eyes, he remembered the times that his mother would rub that foul smelling oil into his back after one of his tournaments. He both hated and loved those times. Concentrating hard enough, he swore he could still imagine the scent. A shiver ran down Zoro's spine and he hurried to finish cleaning up.

Outside, the weather had just started to brighten, signifying that spring was definitely on its way. The grey skies seemed a shade bluer and the snow had all but melted from the ground. Still, it was cold as fuck and Zoro grumbled as he pulled his jacket closer, leaning into the wind as it threatened to knock him down. He shoved the keys into the lock on his car door, and hurried inside. One nice thing about this antique beast was the powerful heater that didn't take long to warm up. In less than five minutes Zoro was nice and toasty, nodding along with the beat of the music blaring from the stereo as he drove to his favorite diner.

The restaurant itself was pretty run-down looking. The sign was missing more than a few bulbs, the lines on the parking lot had disappeared years ago, the paint on the building was chipping and that was just the outside. Inside, the table and countertops had deep wear marks in them, seats had been repaired with appropriate colored duct tape, the dishes were mismatched, and the TV in the back still received signal through an old rabbit-ear antenna. However, the place was always clean, the food superb, and the conversation just the way Zoro liked it; nonexistent. This didn't mean that the waitresses didn't talk; they just didn't talk to him.

Chatter could be heard all over as Zoro made his way to his favorite booth. He didn't even need to look at the menu to know what he wanted. It was Tuesday, so that meant that Ricky was working the kitchen. Sandy, a very rough looking waitress, came over with a frosted mug and set it down on the table with a bottle of beer. She turned around and headed for the back, not even bothering to ask him for his order. Maybe that was a sign that he came here way too much. Less than ten minutes later, a steaming plate of food was set down in front of him. Rick must have seen him walk in. Zoro inhaled the distinct flavors of liver and onions with home-fries, sighing happily as he unwrapped his knife and fork from the paper napkin. The second the first bite hit his tongue, a familiar figure sat down in the seat across from him. Cigar smoke wafted over the table and Zoro nodded in wordless greeting.

"Good work last night," Smoker said while signaling the waitress over to take his order. "Just one problem."

Zoro waited until Sandy had left again before responding. "Let me guess… they made bail and now you can't find them."

The increased scowl on the officer's face was all the answer Zoro needed. They continued to eat in silence, one of the few reasons that Zoro tolerated the older man. It wasn't until after both of their plates were cleared that Smoker spoke again.

"We've been having problems with our informants disappearing on us. Some of them have turned up dead, but a lot of them we just can't find. I'm going to have to take you off any cases for a while until we get this figured out."

"What? That's bullshit! You know I need this money." Zoro slammed his hand on the table and half stood, looming over at his part-time employer.

"Look, kid, my hands are tied." Smoker glowered at him for a moment before he held his hands up in defeat and gave Zoro as an apologetic of a look as he could muster.

"Fuck… Still, you can't shut me out completely." Zoro lowered himself to his seat and rubbed his temples to rid the beginnings of a major headache. Now that his bills were paid, he had hoped to start saving some money up to get out of the city. He really didn't have a plan yet as to where he would go, Zoro just knew that the time had come for a change. "Besides, no one knows that I do this for you anyway. They think you're just checking up on me since you and my old man were good friends."

"True and I want to keep it that way, but if I'm the only one who can still get information from the streets, they're going to start looking into things." Smoker pulled a cigar from his jacket pocket and scowled when he couldn't find his lighter. Sandy magically appeared with an ashtray and a pack of matches, giving him a suggestive wink before walking off. "Unless someone can figure out why we're losing our witnesses and informants, there's nothing I can do."

"Then get me something on that and I'll see what I can come up with. Maybe I can play a little down at the arena and see if anyone needs an assassin for hire. I've come close enough to killing several of those guys that it should be convincing."

"No." Smoker's voice was strong and firm, causing a few of the closer patrons to look over to the table uneasily. "This is an internal matter, and we'll handle it accordingly. If you see that so called friend of yours, tell him to keep his nose out of it as well."

"Ace does what he wants. I can't stop him any more than you can stop me," Zoro challenged.

"I'm serious brat. If you want to ever have the chance to get in on another job, you'll stay the fuck away from the case."

Zoro glared angrily at the larger man, debating on how much truth there was to the threat. A small tic began to start in Smoker's eye, assuring Zoro that he would indeed follow through. Looking away, Zoro conceded defeat, or so it seemed. He stood up from his seat next to the kitchen doors and slipped inside. Seconds later, a man's jovial laughter rang out along with a woman's cursing, and Zoro returned with two more beers, grumbling. "Well they shouldn't have been making out at work anyway."

Zoro spent the next hour covertly coaxing out any details that Smoker had, and trying to work out a plausible game plan. So far, all of the attackers had been gunmen, but that didn't mean that a blade would be rejected; he just needed to present himself correctly. If he put himself out there as a reckless man with a hidden vendetta that just might do the trick. In two nights, Zoro would head down to his old playground and see what fresh meat there was to tear apart, despite Smoker's threat. Losing good men was never to be overlooked, and something about the case just didn't sit right with him.

oOoOoOo

It was relatively early when Zoro returned to the apartment. He shuffled his tired ass into the lift, pressed the button for the third floor and leaned against the wall with his eyes closed. The doors opened and Zoro forced his feet to move out into the hallway towards his place. The instant his body cleared the threshold he was almost run over by a vicious group of small children. Amidst the throng was a grinning blonde with Pippi Longstocking pigtails. The other children cowered in his shadow, some with blatant fear while a few of the boys gaped openly.

"Hi, Zoro! You're home early. Will you come play with us today? We're going on an adventure to rescue the beautiful mermaid from the evil bad man. You can be the ogre guarding the bridge to the underwater kingdom!" Chimney hugged her doll tightly to her chest and swayed from side to side as she talked excitedly about their game.

Zoro's brow furrowed as he realized that he was being set up to be the ugly monster. Annoyed that even innocent children thought of him as something vile and disgusting, Zoro shook his head no and began to walk off without a word.

"Please, Zoro! You're the only one big enough and with a deep voice." Tears filled her eyes as she tugged on his pants leg.

"Why would he want to play with a bunch of brats like you?" came the grating voice of the resident Super. The tall man's skin was a sickening grey color, and he was missing random teeth. His too tight yellow t-shirt stretched across his chest, sporting the words 'YOUR SONG'. Though he had gone bald on top, he still wore his black hair long, hanging down past his shoulders. "How about I be the ogre and the lift is the bridge. If you want to go anywhere you'll have to get through me."

The kids screamed and took the cue from Chimney to hide behind Zoro. Chimney peaked around Zoro's thigh and stuck out her tongue at the zombie looking man. "You can't be the ogre. Our ogre is supposed to be good. He guards the gate to keep the bad guys like you out!"

A chorus of "yah's" echoed her denial of letting him play. Zoro mentally slapped himself for thinking that the kids wanted to put him in a negative position. He should have known better. Now, with his ego repaired, Zoro decided to take action and thwart the evil villain.

"Is there something you needed, Jigorou?" Zoro made sure to put a slight edge to his tone, not enough to frighten the children, but enough to relay his anger to the jackass in front of him.

Jigorou sneered at the children a moment before replying. "I was just headed to the old bat's place to serve her final notice."

Zoro tried to not let the shock show on his face as he realized that the only one Jigorou could be referring to was Kokoro. Why would she be late with the payment? She was on a fixed income that never changed, just like the amount of her rent. Something was up and Zoro intended to find out what it was, but for now, Zoro reached into his pocket and pulled out a large roll of cash. "Here, nine hundred, right?"

Jigorou's eyes widened at the sight of the large bills. He nodded faintly as he followed every movement Zoro made, almost letting a whimper escape when the remaining money was returned to Zoro's pocket.

"I'll have a receipt brought up to you," the Super mumbled, recounting the payment as he walked away.

As soon as the lift doors closed behind the creepy man, the children began jumping up and down, shouting with joy. One of the boys, who stood taller than the rest, happily pointed out that the tall man was the perfect person to be their ogre since he had just defeated the first monster. Chimney beamed with pride as she snuggled up to a reluctant hero. A few of the residents had cracked open their doors when they heard the kids scream earlier, but stayed out of it seeing that Zoro was already on site. Now, they stood leaning against the open frames, grinning at Zoro's plight. The children were ignorant of his discomfort, taking turns hugging him and tugging at his clinched fists to try and get him to follow them.

"Come on Zoro, now you have to play," pleaded Chimney.

"I-I- um… Shit. Look guys, I can't. I have… I really need… This isn't my thing, you know. I just… Damn it! One of you help me out here!!" Zoro called out to the adult audience. Normally his heated stare would be enough to silence anyone, but the hilarity of the situation was just too much and they could do nothing but chuckle and snicker. "Yah, yah, laugh it up, assholes."

The angel of mercy finally took pity on the young man in the form of Ms. Kokoro. She emerged from her apartment looking slightly disheveled and very tired. She quickly hid whatever was in her hand in the pocket of her sweater as she walked out into the hall. "Ok, kids, that's enough. I believe that Mr. Roronoa has other things to do this evening."

Groans of disappointment came from them all and the onlookers shut their doors one by one. Zoro's aunt shooed all the children back to their own homes and laughed heartily as Zoro pulled Chimney along while the little girl clung to his leg.

"Have you eaten yet?" At Zoro's affirmative nod, she sighed heavily. "Good. You need to make sure you take care of yourself. I can't always do it for you."

Zoro followed her into the living room and shut the door behind them. He pried the parasite from his leg and tossed her gently onto the couch, wincing at her shrill squeals of laughter. His jacket was shrugged off and hung on the empty peg by the door. He rolled his eyes when he noticed that his name had been marked above it in sloppy, childish handwriting. Kokoro emerged from the kitchen with a tall glass of something for herself and a bottle of aged sake for her guest. The evening passed pleasantly as they watched John Wayne stroll across the screen. Zoro did his best to take up as much room as he could in the overstuffed chair, but somehow Chimney found a way to crawl up there with him anyway. As soon as she was asleep, Kokoro went to lift her up and carry the little sprite to bed. A pained look crossed her face and Zoro stopped her.

"I'll put the munchkin to bed, you go sit back down," Zoro offered and watched her closely as she slowly complied. As soon as Chimney was tucked in, he headed back to get some answers.

"I know what you're going to ask, the truth is that this winter wasn't very kind to either of us. Both Chimney and I had a bout of the flu, and if you remember, I spent over a week in the hospital with pneumonia. The bills just kept piling up. I'm sorry you had to find out that way."

"It's not a problem. Why didn't you come to me sooner?" Zoro eyed her critically. "I could have helped you before this all got out of hand."

"And how long did it take you to ask your friends for help before?" she shook her head when he looked away guiltily. "I might be old, but I still have pride. It's just as hard for me to ask as it was for you. I hope you know that I have every intention of paying you back."

"You've done more than enough for me, Auntie. I was happy to be able to do it. Besides, my debts are paid and the money was just burning a hole in my pocket as it was." He gave her a cocky grin and she threw a pillow at his green head. Their laughter eased the tension in the air and Zoro reached out for the deck of cards on the side table. "You up for a few hands before bed, or do you need to get some rest, too?"

"Here, give me that," she snatched the worn deck from his hands and began to shuffle. "The game's Canasta, two needed to go out and one must be natural. Play to 5000?"

"Don't we always?" Zoro bent down to untie his boots, knowing he'd be here for a while.

oOoOoOo

The next day, Smoker sat at his computer, cussing it for what felt like the millionth time. The damn thing seemed to have caught a virus, yet again. Smoker thought that the whole point in getting a new network installed was to prevent things like this from happening. So far, their server had gone down twice this week and a total of six times in the last month. This didn't seem very productive as far as he was concerned, but then again what did he know about all this internet bullshit.

Pressing random keys wasn't helping either the computer or his mood, so Smoker decided to abandon his desk for the time being and brave a cup of coffee from the break room. The black sludge was questionable in origin and age, hence why most avoided the toxic drink; but it would at least give him something to pass the time. Smoker found several of the others lounging around on the worn out furniture, all discussing the technical issues at hand.

"Hina is very angry with all of this."

Smoker bit his tongue to keep from telling the woman how insane it was to refer to herself in third person like that. For as intelligent and proficient as she was, her speech habits drove him crazy, just as they had for the last twenty years.

"I agree, my lovely Hina. Something definitely needs to be done." One of the new recruits, Fullbody, had taken an immediate liking to the beautiful senior detective and followed her around like a lost puppy. He and his counterpart Jango were always tripping over their feet to make asses of themselves in her presence.

"Hina wants to know what Smoker thinks." Hina eyed said man critically as he washed his coffee mug.

"The same thing I always think, that you need to grow up and quit talking like a three year old," he said half under his breath, knowing that she would hear anyway.

"Show some respect, Detective. Just because you're the senior man here doesn't give you any right to speak to her in that tone of voice." Jango stepped up next to Fullbody, puffing his chest in order to make himself look more intimidating and failing miserably.

"Watch yourself, Smoker, or Hina might just let the cat out of the bag." The strawberry-blonde smirked at her old friend, very much used to his mumbling about her preferred way of talking. If the others in the office knew the stoic man like she did, this computer fiasco would be on the bottom of the list of topics they discussed in the break room.

Smoker grunted in reply but joined her on the couch. It had been rumored for a while that they were a couple, but it was quickly squelched by Garp who issued a no inner office dating policy; one that Smoker was pretty sure had already been in place. Hina took Smoker's coffee from his hands and made a horrible face at the bitter taste, frowning further when he started chuckling. The officers continued to discuss the system failures for a while before moving on to other topics.

"I've lost three men so far."

"One for me."

"Hina lost three as well."

"Two, one unconfirmed," Smoker added, checking his phone again to see if he had missed a call. The men he had assigned to his last witness had missed their check in time, almost an hour ago. If they didn't call soon, he would have to break protocol and drive out there himself.

"Excuse me," a somewhat nervous voice called out from the doorway. Everyone turned to see the small dark haired woman carrying a stack of folders, her glasses perched precariously on her head. "Detective Smoker, there's a call for you at your desk. When you're done there's still that paperwork that you have yet to sign and file, and also the…"

"Yah, yah, I'll get to it." Smoker cut her off with a wave as he stood up. Everyone received a nasty scowl when they began giggling. "Let's go, Tashigi."

The second the door closed behind him, the room burst into laughter.


	2. Chapter 2

AN: sorry for the late posting guys.... i almost broke my hand this weekend. hurts to type.

* * *

Chapter 2

He had called the detective working the case last night and the man had quickly gotten him into another safe house. This time supposedly, no one but the detective, two guards and the Police Chief would know where he was. Last time there had been a few more officers involved and it was rumored that a possible leak might have been found. This constant threat on his life was beginning to grow old. He needed normalcy in the form of good food, a firm bed and a soft, supple woman. Right now, he would settle for just a decent meal. Didn't these guys know anything other than pizza and Chinese takeout?

"Hey Sonny!" one of the guards called out.

"For the last time my name isn't fucking Sonny, shithead!" he yelled back. Detective Smoker had thought it funny to call him that when introducing him to the guards and somehow it stuck.

"Ya, well just in case someone is listening in to our conversations, maybe it's best that we keep calling you that anyway" the guard argued as he walked down the hall towards the back bedroom. "Sonny" was sitting on the bed looking through the newspaper with a deep scowl on his face. "Here, a package came for you."

Sonny looked at him quizzically for a moment before speaking. "Where'd you get it?"

"The detective dropped it off. He said you'd know who it was from." The guard tossed the large brown envelope onto the bed beside Sonny and walked away mumbling about prissy little bitch witnesses.

Sonny eyed the package cautiously and wondered if the slight bulge in it was the components of a bomb or possibly a tape recorder with a message saying that he'd been found again. Curiosity getting the better of him, Sonny reached for it just as it started to vibrate and let out a slightly undignified squeak as he jumped off the bed. The vibrating stopped for a moment before it started back up again. This time he was prepared for it. Slowly he picked up the corner of the envelope and let out a huge sigh of relief when the flap opened and a slim cell phone fell out. Again the vibrating stopped for a short time before resuming. Sonny picked it up and saw the caller ID said INFO. Maybe that was a hint that he was getting information. With more confidence than he felt, he pushed the call button.

"Hello?"

oOoOoOo

Zoro had promised to join Kokoro for dinner the following evening when he'd left the night before. Stan Iceburg and "Franky" Cutty Flam would be there as well so Zoro knew he'd better be prepared for a competition of some sort to occur. During one of their nightly talks, Kokoro had told Zoro the story of how those two misfits had become family. Apparently Zoro wasn't the only one who had been adopted against his will. The two men had been hired as apprentices by her employer, Tom, when they were still in school. Kokoro was Tom's secretary and instantly took to mothering the boys since they seemed to both lack any parental figure in their lives. Tom saw potential in both Franky and Iceburg, and did his best to keep them out of trouble, though trouble seemed to follow Franky no matter what.

Years ago, when Tom took the blame for one of Franky's pranks, the two boys split and rarely spoke to each other. It took Tom's death, a sudden fatal heart attack, to get them to sit down together again. It was a major effort on both their parts to put aside their differences and forgive not only each other but also themselves. Now, Zoro helped to play mediator and often referee during their mini-wars.

After another boring day at the dojo watching old men and women practice tai-chi, and instructing over arrogant, hormonal young males to beat the crap out of someone smaller and weaker than them, Zoro was more than ready to head home. He contemplated teaching a small kid to kick one of the fucker's asses and laughing while he watched. At least it would be more fun and he could actually teach to his full extent rather than hold back the good moves, knowing that the undisciplined idiots would abuse the power. Zoro didn't need another version of himself running around.

As he showered, Zoro thought ahead to the plan for tomorrow night. He had already taken out his swords and polished them (though he wasn't sure he would actually need them), dug out his old boots and black pants, restocked the medical supplies both under the sink and in his car, so what was he forgetting? Zoro cursed loudly when he realized he had forgotten the most important thing of all. The entry fee! Fuck, there was no way he could come up with five grand by then on his own. He doubted Smoker would front him the money this time since the detective had prohibited him from looking into things. He had just paid off his last debt (at least ten times over by his account) so borrowing from the same people would be his last resort. Zoro tried to count up in his mind what he had left and kept stumbling over numbers. The shower knob was turned off brutally, and Zoro didn't bother with a towel as he stomped into his room to begin tallying just how short he was.

After searching the pockets of every pair of pants he could find, checking all three of his jackets, digging around under the bed, looking beneath the couch cushions, and remembering a few wads of money that had been stashed in the cups of some random trophies, Zoro sat on the floor by his workout equipment to add everything up. Four thousand two hundred eighty-seven dollars. Had he not taken care of Auntie's rent for her, he would have had just enough. Zoro leaned his head back on the padded bench and groaned loudly in frustration. If it wasn't one thing holding him back it was another. Maybe he could make a bet with Franky tonight and win what he needed. They'd have to do it out of Kokoro's hearing, but that might work. The plan of action rolling around in his head, Zoro headed to his bedroom to get dressed.

oOoOoOo

Dinner was a circus as usual with three competitive men at the table. Afterwards, they all sat around the living room nursing full stomachs and sighing contentedly. Chimney quickly grew bored with braiding Franky's hair and moved on to assault her other uncle with questions about Tyrannosaurs, Iceburg's pet mouse. Zoro hurried off to help Kokoro with the dishes, knowing that he was next in line for her attention. He found his Auntie humming softly as she worked and joined her at the sink.

"Now what are you doing in here with me rather than relaxing with your friends?" she joked with him.

"The little monster had made her way through the other two. I knew I was next… Preventative measures," he answered honestly.

"That little girl adores you, you know. She couldn't stop talking about the way you came to save her and the other children last night. All of the kids in her class don't believe her though and she came home crying. It's a shame that she doesn't go to the same school as some of the kids that live in this building."

"That's right, she got a scholarship or something to that private school this year." Zoro remembered last fall how excited Chimney had been about going to the all girls' school. "Personally I can't see how anyone would like being shoved into the same role as everyone else. Forced to wear the same clothes, think a certain way, no chance to find your own place in the world."

"Hmmmm. Sounds like you have some experience there." Kokoro dried her hands off on the towel Zoro offered. "Maybe she could learn something from you."

Zoro chuckled and patted the old woman lightly on the back as they walked into the living room to join the others. They found Franky flat on the floor claiming to be invincible to any harm, until Chimney jumped off the back of the couch and landed right on his crotch. The now crying man had curled into a ball, clutching his abused manhood. Chimney sat by looking triumphant, a smug smile on her dirty face. Before anyone could say anything, Kokoro put a hand to her chest and gasped for breath. She immediately began coughing, almost doubling over and holding a hand to her mouth. Kokoro waved everyone off when they came running to her side, Zoro putting a hand on her shoulder to try to turn her around.

"No, no, I'm alright." The old woman wiped her hand across her mouth and shakily straightened. "I just need to get a drink of water."

Iceburg hurried to the kitchen while Franky helped his foster mother to a chair. Zoro looked to Chimney's concerned face and decided that maybe it was time for her to head to bed. No one noticed Kokoro unobtrusively wipe her red tinged hand on her black slacks.

"Come on. You've got school tomorrow." Zoro nudged the little girl down the hall.

"Will Grams be ok?" Chimney asked, her small hand forcing its way into a large calloused one.

"She's a tough old goat." Zoro grinned when Chimney giggled at his analogy. "Franky and Iceburg will see that she gets what she needs."

"While you take care of me?" she chimed in.

"Um, yah. I guess so." Zoro shrugged his shoulders. He tried to slide out of her grasp, but the little angel tightened her grip even further. She pulled him into her room and began searching through the top drawer of her dresser. A simple nightgown was taken out and laid on the end of her bed, before she turned to Zoro and held her arms up expectantly. He blinked a few times in confusion and then shrugged his shoulders again. "What?"

The little girl began giggling. "You're supposed to help me get ready for bed."

Zoro looked between her smiling face and the pink satin garment, the details of what she was insinuating finally coming to light. Zoro shook his head no and began to slowly retreat. "Oh no, I don't think so."

Chimney's arms lowered slowly and tears began to well up in her eyes as she watched one of her favorite people back away. The second her bottom lip started quivering, any ounce of masculine pride Zoro had previously held onto flew out the window and he suddenly felt like the biggest asshole in the world.

"I understand. I'll go ask Uncle Franky to help me," she said tearfully and started to walk around the tall man so she could go out the door. Chimney stopped and looked up at Zoro when he placed his hand gently on her shoulder.

"Che, come here." Zoro guided her back to stand by the bed and knelt down in front of her. "Put your arms up again."

The smile instantly returned and Chimney threw her arms in the air. Zoro hesitantly grabbed the bottom of her jumper and pulled it up over her head, his cheeks warming in embarrassment at seeing her in just her panties and a cotton button-down shirt. Turning away to give her at least a little privacy, Zoro waited for further requests for help. After a moment, all he heard were her small grunts and shuffling of feet. Taking a deep breath, Zoro turned around to see what the problem was. Chimney had gotten her shirt off just fine but was currently tangled in her nightgown; one hand through a sleeve and the other arm tangled somewhere in the folds of fabric around her head. Zoro tried to stifle the laughter but ended up snickering anyway, the small sound apparently reaching little ears.

"It's not funny!" she cried, stomping her foot, but soon her own giggling chimed in. After another minute of struggling, she sighed dramatically. "You know, you _could_ help me."

Zoro grabbed the ruffled hem and gave it a firm tug, watching her blonde pigtails bounce as soon as her head was free. She launched herself at her helper and wrapped her arms tightly around Zoro's neck. A little reluctantly, Zoro returned the hug, praying that no one came down the hall and saw. He might have stopped attempting to slice people in half on a daily basis, but that didn't mean that he had gone soft. Caving in to a woman's (little girl's) desires was a definite sign of weakness in his book. He should stand firm, be strong, never waver, have a will of iron…

"Thank you, Zoro. I love you."

…fuck.

oOoOoOo

Back down the in the living room, Kokoro was arguing with her boys about the state of her health. They both looked doubtful that the story she had just spieled held an ounce of truth to it, but held their final verdict until the information could be verified. Franky leaned against the half wall leading into the kitchen, drinking a bottle of cola while Iceburg sipped his gin and tonic. Kokoro had her own scotch in hand as she narrowed her eyes at the meddling men.

"Well, if you would come visit more often you would know what is going on here," she argued. "I would have called if it was necessary, but at least Zoro was there to take care of me."

Her guilt trip hit both of her children hard, each knowing that they had neglected their duties and shame etched itself clearly on their faces. Franky's hair seemed to fall slightly with his mood and the few braids still intact from his beauty makeover hung in his eyes as his shoulders slumped. Iceburg swirled the ice in his drink, his eyes unfocused on the clear liquid as he drummed his fingers on the padded arm of the chair. Kokoro shook her head at their stubbornness and decided to call it a night. Her bare feet padded softly on the linoleum as she crossed the kitchen and placed her empty glass in the sink. The sound of her door closing echoed down the hall to the silent room. Neither Iceburg nor Franky could meet Zoro's questioning gaze when he entered the room a few minutes later. Zoro stood there looking back and forth between them, unsure what had happened and who to begin asking. Finally, the large mechanic broke the spell.

"Zoro-bro, we'll get you the money back. Just come by the shop tomorrow. It was really super of you to do that for Ma." Franky rubbed the back of his head in thought. "Hey, just where did you get that anyway? Last I heard from Paulie was that you were still paying Nami back."

"Fucking witch, I paid her back more than enough," Zoro grumbled as he shoved his way past the large man to get his own drink from the fridge. "She probably had to collect all that _interest_ to pay off the idiot's debts."

"Nmaa, and she's always coming in and taking Paulie away from work. I hate it when he leaves. Kalifa never lets me leave early," Iceburg said sullenly, slouching down in his chair and pouting.

"She comes in and grabs Robin whenever she wants too. Be careful, Zoro-bro, if you ever find a woman to put up with you, Nami'll probably do the same thing to you," Franky nodded knowingly as he joined Iceburg, sitting in one of the more comfortable chairs.

"I need a woman like you need another pair of Speedos," Zoro countered and handed the large man another bottle of pop.

"Oh come on now! Seriously, when was the last time you got laid? A month ago? A year? I haven't seen you with anyone in forever." Franky tried to smile, but the underlying concern couldn't be kept out of his voice. "Sex keeps a man healthy. Look at me, I haven't been sick all winter. You know why? Because I have a beautiful woman at home to keep me satisfied."

"Every time I suggest something Kalifa accuses me of sexual harassment, even when we are at home together. Nmaa, everything is under her terms and it's not fair." Iceburg leaned his head back against the chair and began digging in his ear with his pinky.

Zoro stood there staring at the man for a moment before shaking his head dismissively. Here sat one of the most respected politicians in the city, acting like a petulant child. It was a good thing that he had that wife of his, else Iceburg would have thrown away all of his good fortune to play cards with his workers. Zoro flopped down on the couch and stretched his legs out in front of him.

'It has been a while,' Zoro thought to himself as he sipped on his beer. He briefly wondered if he should take up one of the many offers he'd received.

All further musing was cut short by the noisy belch that came from Franky, who grinned smugly when both men stared at him wide eyed. Zoro smacked himself in the forehead with his palm, chuckling at the childish action. Another burp, this one slightly louder though not as long, and the contest was on. Back and forth they went, neither bothering to keep their voices down so as to not wake the sleeping ladies down the hall. Zoro sat by, drinking his beer and wondering how much longer they could keep this up before Kokoro came and threw them out. Finally, Iceburg gulped down the last of his drink and sat forward, projecting the crude sound from deep within his gut.

"Oh good one, Idiot-burg!" Franky laughed and slapped his foster brother on the shoulder. The large man stood up and took a deep breath, the resulting burp lasting for at least ten full seconds.

"Like that should even count. Nma, it's all that soda you've been drinking." Iceburg got to his feet as well and turned his back to Franky. Just as the mechanic opened his mouth to argue, a loud, deep, rumbling belch began. Both men turned to watch Zoro sprawled lazily across the couch, mouth open wide, and a satisfied gleam in his eye. By the time he was done, both Franky and Iceburg had dropped dejectedly back in their seats.

oOoOoOo

Mozu and Kiwi smiled sweetly at Zoro as he walked by the service counter and into the bay area of Franky's repair shop the next morning, both commenting on how they loved his hair when it hung loosely down his back. Zoro managed to actually blush a little and mumble a thank you as he searched out the owner of the shop.

The vehicles dotting the interior ranged from a small scooter to a diesel truck, though the most magnificent work was sealed off by heavy plastic curtains to keep the grease out. Franky was one of the few known shipbuilders that actually hand shaped the wood for his creations, and rarely offered his services to anyone. Currently, the mechanic was working on a beautiful yacht that would be entered in the local regatta at the end of the coming summer. A smile came to Zoro's face as he caught a glimpse of the sunburst shaped lion's head that his friend had insisted on using as the figurehead. It was actually Luffy that had commissioned the boat, something about wanting to sail the high seas like during the age of pirates, but Franky insisted on drawing up the plans himself. Often Zoro wondered where they had gotten the money to do something like that and quickly realized that maybe he was better off not knowing. Now, here the ship sat, almost finished and truly a beautiful work of craftsmanship.

"Yo, Franky! Where're you at Cyborg," Zoro called out as he crossed the shop floor, the nickname striking a cord within the person it was directed at.

"Cyborg? Not yet man. If I could find a way to replace a few of my body parts with working metal machines though I would!" Franky's laughter echoed from under the hood of an old panel wagon. "Did you bring me lunch?"

Zoro began rummaging around the parts lying on a rolling workbench, seeing if he could find anything of interest. "No, but it looks like your sisters are up there taking orders. You might want to hurry up and catch them before they leave or you'll be stuck with some tofu-bean-sprout shit."

Franky dropped the wrench he was using and took off, his greasy hands having difficulty turning the knob, leaving the mechanic to bang loudly on the door as he shouted for someone to open it. A few minutes later he returned, satisfied and with two sodas. "You know you're not going to find your part just lying around. Usually when I get something shipped in, it comes in a box. Try looking for one that says 'Edelbrock.'"

Zoro took the offered drink and looked in the direction Franky was pointing. "Thanks. Hey, I thought I noticed Paulie leaving here when I pulled in, but he was gone before I got out of the car."

"Yah, Iceburg-bro sent him over to drop off this for you." Franky reached in to his coveralls and pulled out two white envelopes, not seeming to notice the amount of grime he was leaving all over the paper. "Mine' s there too. We decided to split the cost, since we were both at fault."

Zoro took the envelopes but waved off the excuse. He ambled over to the table he knew held all the shipping and receiving, intent on finding his part and getting out of here. There were still lots of things to do and Zoro had promised someone they would meet up for dinner tonight before he had to disappear for a few hours.

"Hey, Zoro-bro," Franky hollered out just as Zoro had reached the office door. "If you'll leave that here and give me the keys to your car, I can have it ready for you by morning."

Zoro tilted his head to the side as he thought about the offer. "What am I gonna drive?"

Franky grinned big and pointed to the beautiful yellow Hummer sitting by the rolling door. "Just don't get any blood on the seats, alright?"

Zoro's maniacal grin spread wide across his face as he dug deep in his pocket for the keys to his old GTO. Franky knew what a privilege it was to be allowed to ride in the vehicle let alone drive it, and the blue-haired mechanic was only one of three people alive to ever do so; the third being Smoker. It was for this reason that he trusted Zoro with the brand new piece of machinery that Robin had just purchased a few weeks ago.

Zoro threw up a hand in understanding and ran to climb in to the pristine cab. The strong smell of 'new' still clung to everything and made Zoro's nose twitch. Ignoring it for now, Zoro buckled in and revved the engine as he watched Zambi, one of the other mechanics hesitantly open the door for him to leave. As soon as he had clearance, Zoro hit the gas, leaving long strips of black on the cement.

"Leave me some tread, idiot!" Franky yelled after him, knowing that Zoro tended to disregard the brakes when rounding corners and laying on them too heavy when needing to come to a sudden stop.

Pulling up alongside his car, the thrill of pissing Franky off gone, Zoro parked the borrowed SUV. He quickly gathered his things from the GTO, stowing the swords and his other belongings in the hidden compartment below the rear seat before driving to the pricy café across town. He would get there on time for once, with the help of the fake cheerful tone that emitted from the GPS built into the dash. Zoro couldn't wait to see the look on Smoker's face when he arrived before the detective… or at least Zoro would have preferred to see that look compared to the face he was staring at right now, partly hidden by the newspaper.

"Is something wrong?" he asked of the person sitting at the booth.

A startled jerk sent silverware flying off the table and spilled coffee everywhere. "Oh, Zoro, I didn't hear you come in. Oh, um…. Oops. Here let me grab that."

Zoro groaned as he watched Tashigi fumble to put her glasses right on her face and clean up the mess at the same time. Caught between pity and anger, he settled for exasperation and signaled for a waitress to bring a towel. When the spill had been cleared and a new cup of coffee brought out, Zoro sat down across from the woman and ordered a cup of green tea.

"I take it there's a reason you're here instead." Zoro didn't bother holding back the bitterness in his voice. It was no secret that the two of them had no love for each other.

"Yes. Smoker said that he was supposed to meet you, but was held up in meetings again. He wanted me to come here and have dinner with you so you would be sure to stay out of trouble. It's not exactly my idea of fun to be stuck here with you either. I have much better things to do with my time than babysit a hotheaded ex-con."

"I'm not a fucking con. The only time I've done is an overnight or two for a bar fight." Zoro's voice dripped with malice as he barely held his temper in check.

"Only because you haven't been caught. I've heard rumors about you and your fights. They call you a demon swordsman. No man like yourself should be allowed to roam freely with a weapon, and how you've gotten this far is beyond me." Tashigi pulled off her glasses as she lifted herself out of her seat slightly to loom over Zoro across the table.

Zoro turned away from the sight, still not able to get over the eerie resemblance between the officer and his deceased girlfriend. The action only served to further fuel Tashigi's annoyance at the situation. She reached out, grabbed the collar of his shirt and yanked him forward, making his head snap around to face her at the same time. The stayed there, nose to nose, a look of fury on Tashigi's face and wary discomfort on Zoro's, until a loud clearing of someone's throat broke the spell.

"Sir?! I'm sorry, I was just-"

"Save it Tashigi," Smoker cut her off. "I need to talk to my God-son alone."

God-son… so that's what Smoker had told everyone. Zoro idly wondered if it was true.

"Of course, Smoker. I'll just see you in the office tomorrow." Tashigi gathered up her jacket and reading material, bowing her head slightly as she walked past her commanding officer. "Good evening, sir."

"Hn." Smoker's condescending glare was still fixed on the back of Zoro's head as the younger man had chose to begin lightly banging his forehead on the tabletop. "Knock it off brat. We need to talk."

Zoro immediately snapped up and shrugged out of his jacket, sensing that they might be here for a while. A fresh cup of coffee was set down in front of the detective and a plate of warm biscuits between the two men, both digging in immediately. Per the norm, they ordered their meals and ate in relative silence, not wanting anything to distract them once it came time to get to business. Zoro finished first and excused himself to the restroom. By the time he returned, Smoker had already had the table cleared and was working on lighting a cigar. So far, they had continued to find places to meet that still allowed smoking, or Zoro would have found himself out in the cold on many nights. Smoker without his cigar was not a pretty sight.

Unobtrusively, Smoker checked the room, looking for any signs that they were being watched. "We had another witness attacked yesterday. I only have one left, and he's barely been able to survive by the skin of his teeth. I want you to be extra careful and lay low for a few days. I don't know how they're getting a hold of our witnesses, but if they decide to branch out to our informants you can be sure that you'll make the list." Smoker narrowed his gaze at Zoro and put his cigar back between his teeth. "You listening to me brat? Stay out of it. You haven't been in the circuit for over a year now. A fight here and there doesn't count."

"I'm good. Daz Bones stops by every so often to spar and I'm still working towards beating Mihawk." Smoker chuckled at the last name, earning him a warning glare as Zoro continued. "I'm not a little kid that needs to be looked after. Besides, I've lived through worse than a simple gunshot."

Smoker frowned, knowing that he might as well be blowing spit bubbles instead of trying to reason with this idiot. He just hoped that Zoro was as good as he said. "I can't spare anyone to watch your back right now. I know that you'll probably ignore everything I've said and do what you want, but remember I can't save your ass if you screw up."

"Then I'll make sure that I don't," Zoro stated, as if it was the simplest thing in the world.

Smoker sighed heavily and began rubbing the bridge of his nose, hoping to ease the headache that had started. "I already have a man deep inside, so lay off the vigilante shit."

"You gonna let me know who he is just so I don't accidentally kill him?" Zoro joked in a half serious tone.

"I'd be glad to, if only I knew myself," Smoker replied honestly, leaning back in his seat and crossing his arms over his chest. He noticed a few ladies watching their table, all of them turning away blushing when he met their gaze. Knowing he was taking a risk, Smoker decided to go ahead and give Zoro as much information as he had on the informant, which sadly wasn't much. "He just started helping with my last witness. He calls when the safe house location has been found and gives my guy just enough time to escape. Fucking asshole won't tell us how he knows or how the witnesses are being found. He won't even give us a heads up with any of the other people in protective custody. Just this one."

"Someone special, huh?" The whole situation had Zoro's interest piqued. One witness out of a hundred being protected by a man inside the group doing the assassinating; it didn't make sense.

"I have no idea," Smoker's eyes were fixed on something towards the door and the strength in which he bit his cigar had increased tenfold. Whatever was behind Zoro had put the detective on edge. "Watch yourself out there. I lost my best friend too soon in life; I don't need to lose his son the same way."

Zoro was shocked at the unusual show of concern, yet nodded in understanding just the same as he fought the urge to turn around. A distinct laughter near the entrance filtered through the room, causing the hair on the back of Zoro's neck to stand up and sent shivers down his spine. Smoker smashed a foot down on Zoro's when the younger man made to get up from his seat. They shared evil glares over the table, Zoro's more of a snarl than anything.

"Ah, Detective, so nice to see you! Ki shi shi shi."

"I wish I could say the same, Moria." Smoker didn't bother to hide his disgust while speaking with the suspected crime lord, unknowingly grinding his heel further into the top of Zoro's foot.

"And here I had thought we were making progress. Perhaps it's because I've interrupted your date, ki shi shi shi." Moria picked up a lock of Zoro's loose hair, playing with the thick coarse strand as he spoke. "My dear, why don't you come join me this evening? I'm sure you would much prefer the lively atmosphere over this depressing mood."

Fire burned deep in Zoro's eyes as he turned his head to stare at the individual responsible for the mistreatment of his now painful foot. Moria's shocked face was almost worth it as realization set in that the long haired exotic beauty sitting with Smoker had been not a lady, but a very pissed off young man who looked like he was about to slide a knife into Moria's neck.

"I was just leaving." Zoro jerked his foot out from under Smoker's heel, causing the detective to shift heavily in his seat and grip the edge of the table. "Goodnight, Detective."

Smoker took the cue and nodded dismissively to him before turning his attention back to the intruding man. "Was there a reason you ran him off?"

"Ki shi shi shi, you should smile more Detective. You never know what life will deal you next." Moria's laughter filled the restaurant as he waddled off to his waiting table, leaving Smoker to brood alone.

oOoOoOo

Zoro slammed open the doors to the café with much more force than needed, startling a few of the couples gathered outside. He reached the truck and climbed in, not bothering to buckle since he was too pissed to care. Turning to the less than respectable side of town, Zoro let the rest of his mind begin to fade and focused only on the task at hand. It was still early to head to the cages, but Zoro knew that if he tried to go anywhere else, he might not make it back in time if he got lost. True, he had the GPS, but that only worked if you had an actual address to program into the annoying machine. Maybe he could just indulge himself in a few drinks while he waited for the main events to get underway; not too many considering he had just enough for the entry fee.

The bar wasn't really hidden, a normal sized establishment nestled between several rundown and abandoned businesses, but if you didn't know what lay inside, you wouldn't give the place a second thought. The unlit sign that hung on the side of the building read "No man's Home" in faded letters, though it was rumored to originally have said Norman. A few malfunctioning beer signs dotted the sparse windows, all at the upper level of the wall and very difficult to look in if you were of average height. Metal bars further prevented peeping, though it matched every other building in the area in that aspect. Heavy wooden doors that looked to be rotting with age were flanked by two burley men, intimidating to most but a welcome sight to the green-haired man.

"Hey Oimo! I'm taking over Lucci's parking place since he's still gone," Zoro yelled out after rolling down the driver side window.

Looking confused for a brief second, the tall orange haired bouncer scratched his head while studying the impressive SUV the speaker was sitting in. "Did you steal it?"

Zoro rolled his eyes and drove forward to pull into the aforementioned spot, knowing that if the guys really didn't want him parking there, they would have just said no. He pulled on the heavy black military issued pea coat that Smoker had given him for Christmas last year and wrapped it tightly around him. He dug out an elastic hair band from the pocket and pulled his hair back before donning a knit cap, effectively covering the odd color. Climbing out of the vehicle, Zoro grimaced at the sludge that his feet landed in. Apparently the snow had been plowed over to this side of the parking lot and now that it was melting, it created a mess of slush and mud. Growling slightly in annoyance, Zoro opened the back door and retrieved his bundled weapons before storming up to the front doors.

"You could have warned me about the water!" Zoro griped, looking up at them with narrowed eyes as he shifted the items in his arms to clasp the offered hand in greeting.

"Sorry, man." Oimo hung his head slightly, making a few of the people standing around slack-jawed with shock, seeing the massive man submissive to the smaller individual.

"Seriously, where'd you get the ride? You usually come here in that rust bucket," the second guard asked, still curious to know how the familiar man had come into such a nice vehicle.

"Fuck you, Kaashii. My goat will smoke that shitty horse of yours any day." The scowl increased as Zoro failed to escape the crushing hug given to him by Kaashii. "Hey, get the hell off of me! Shit, man, I need to be able to breathe tonight if I'm gonna fight."

"Oh you're gonna want to just sit back and watch this time," Oimo said with a grin. He laughed heartily at the look of disbelief on Zoro's face. "We've got a bunch of new guys since the last time you were here. A whole group of them came in a few days after you wiped the floor with Hachi and practically took over. Most of them were knocked to their asses by Ohm, but there's a few that show promise. I didn't see them here last night, so tonight should be good."

Zoro took a minute to let the new info run around in his head before he spoke, a devious grin spreading across his face. "Sounds like fun. I could use the change of pace."

Both door guards laughed loudly and slapped him on each shoulder, the weight of their hands sending a jolt down to Zoro's knees and ankles. Damn those two were strong. Good thing he didn't have to test his steel against them. It would take a significant amount of damage to bring either one of these guys down and Zoro kinda liked the giant pair. With more of a grimace than smile, Zoro assured them he would prevail and started to walk inside. A couple of guys, dressed in wannabe gangster attire, came up to the door behind Zoro and tried to follow him in.

"What do you think you are doing?" Kaashii asked, placing a large hand on the first guy's chest.

"We're goin' in asshole," the idiot said with what was assumed to be an intimidating glare.

The door closed behind Zoro cutting off the screams of "Oh Shit!" as the guy was thrown out into the street in front of oncoming traffic. Walking over to the far end of the bar, Zoro set his bundle down on the counter and began taking off his coat. He glanced around at the sparse amount of patrons, nodding to a few who raised a hand to say hello. The dim lighting made the chain link area seem slightly ominous to those not used to its presence, though it would be brightly lit here in the next few hours. The black coat and hat were taken by the bartender and hung with care on one of the few hooks along the back wall, a sign that Zoro was a favored visitor.

Grabbing his swords back up, Zoro headed over to an empty table in a dark corner behind the cage and waited for the young barmaid to come around with his drink. Just because he hadn't been here in a while didn't mean that he expected any less than what he had been used to. Sure enough, a tall skinny woman with long, blue, bushy hair waltzed over, her hips swinging back and forth exaggeratedly. She sat down a bottle of sake and two glasses, an indicator to Zoro that someone he knew would be joining him shortly. A perfectly manicured hand caressed Zoro's cheek as she smiled seductively at him.

"You know I never mix business with pleasure, Paula" Zoro warned her.

"Darling, this _is_ business." The woman bent down and placed an impassionate kiss on his mouth before whispering against his lips. "And for you it's Miss Doublefinger."

"Never. You're too expensive for my taste," Zoro said, turning his head away. "Besides, Bones would be fairly pissed if he knew you were still after me."

Paula leaned in further and brushed her lips across his ear as she spoke. "You didn't use to turn me down."

"And you didn't use to charge," Zoro retorted, placing a hand on her chest, mindful of her voluptuous breasts, and pushed the aggressive woman away.

The pleasant look on her face was gone now, replaced by a scowl that greatly distorted her porcelain features. "I always get what I want, Roronoa. Willing or not, I'll-"

"Zoro!" The enthusiastic shout cut off Paula's threat, further deepening the creases on her forehead. Making his way through the empty tables was a tall lean man, dressed in a deep burgundy trench coat with decorative armbands, the same silver color as his hair though he looked to be roughly Zoro's age. A long cream sash was belted at his waist with a worn katana, roughly half the length of the impressive ones Zoro carried, shoved snugly between the layers. The man's right arm hung limply at his side, though its lack of movement was clearly made up for by the left. "I was wondering when you'd drag your sorry ass back in here."

"Saga, how's the family?" Zoro reached out and took hold of the offered hand, giving the man a nod of thanks for interrupting. Paula took the obvious hint and walked off in a huff, swinging her hips even harder from side to side, looking more ridiculous than sexy. Both men shook their heads, amused by her antics as Zoro kicked out a chair for Saga to sit down in.

"Maya's doing great. She's due in May, though I think she'll probably go before then." Saga poured himself a drink and raised his glass in a toast. "Here's to hoping you get your chance at fatherhood real soon."

Zoro paused his glass midway and glared at his old friend. "I'd rather get another blade through my chest." The green-haired swordsman shook his head, trying to rid himself of the image. He cocked his head to the side and studied the man across from him a moment. Saga worked as a PI, and had been the one that Zoro had hired to help with the investigation of his parent's death, but they both knew his skills far exceeded that of a mere pretend cop. "What happened to you joining the FBI? You ever hear back from them?"

Saga gave a half laugh and looked over to the caged arena. "They said my mind was perfect for investigations, but they were sorry they couldn't use me in field work. Apparently having two fully functioning arms is a prerequisite."

Zoro felt the pain arise with the memories of how his friend had lost the use of the right arm. The car crash hadn't been Zoro's fault, but the teen had blamed himself anyway. Five years later, Saga was still twice the man as most of the officers Zoro knew, with the exception of his father and Smoker. "I wish you'd let me pull a few strings down at the station for you. Smoker-"

"Smoker would vouch for me and I'd be getting in on a technicality, not because of my skills," Saga argued, clearly not happy with the offer. The doors opened, drawing their attention to the front of the bar to watch a few more regulars enter. Saga sighed, and a concerned look covered his features. "You know, there's some new guys lately, right? The Shandian family. It's not that I don't have faith in you, but these guys fight with a strange style I've never seen."

"Something new is just what I've been looking for." Zoro smiled and downed the last of the pale liquid, enjoying the familiar burn warming his chest before excusing himself and wandering back into the office to pay his entry fee.

The harsh glare of the halogen lights only made the room bleaker as the man behind the desk sat scribbling in a thick ledger. His faded brown duster and blue scarf were thrown over the back of a side chair carelessly, as if he had been in a hurry when he arrived. Rose tented glasses were pushed back up his nose before he ran a hand over his dark blonde hair. The man scowled slightly as Zoro continued to stand in the open doorway, neither in nor out of the room, but continued his writing in the book.

"You usually give us a little warning before you show up. You know, give us time to put the bug in a few people's ear and make things interesting. If only some of the younger – and by younger I mean less experienced. God knows you're probably the youngest one out there. But if only the greenhorns show, this won't be much of a fight." The tinted glasses hid the color of the man's eyes, but did little to cover the disapproval on his face.

"If I called, then it would have spoiled the surprise. Besides, I hear that you have a few promising looking men out there that can easily fill in for me when I'm absent. Or did you just miss me, Kohza?" Zoro smirked as Kohza's irritation grew.

"Did you actually bring money this time, or another IOU slip?" Kohza laid down the pen and pulled out a strong box from one of the desk drawers. "Those guys put on quite a show, but the crowd comes for blood, not fancy moves."

Zoro tossed the thick envelope of bills at the manager and let his smirk fade. "I'm looking for something, and it has nothing to do with flash; maybe a gunman by the looks of it. Know anything?"

Kohza marked the entry fee and sat back in his chair, the scowl never completely leaving his face. The blonde crossed his arms over his chest and closed his eyes as he began to think of all the participants that had come in over the last few months. Nothing coming to mind, he shook his head and gave Zoro a slightly apologetic look.

"No, just the guys you'd heard about. They're supposed to be here tonight, so it's actually good you showed up. Ohm is out of town on business for his boss and won't be back until tomorrow. Seems like a lot of people are absent right now… except you." The emphasis on the last part didn't go unnoticed and Kohza kept his glare steady as Zoro's eyes hardened.

Zoro stepped further into the room and shut the door quietly behind him. "You know I can't talk about it. The only reason that man overlooks this place is because the assholes that get the shit beat out of themselves here deserve every ounce of what they get. That, and this is where answers come from."

"If there's something going on, I need to know," Kohza insisted.

Zoro shook his head, trying to decide just how much information he could divulge without jeopardizing the case. Knowing that Kohza had his ear to the ground and could prove very useful was the only thing that had the green-haired man even considering the idea. Confiding in the rebel was a big risk, but he'd dealt with Kohza in the past and the man had always been honorable. If anyone could help him discreetly, it would be this man. With a heavy sigh, Zoro began the abridged version.

"Several people are going missing. Cops are turning up dead and criminals are running free. So far, we have nothing to connect these things together except that they seem to be killed by assassins, some of them sloppy."

"You think that the guy behind all of this has been recruiting from here?" Kohza leaned forward in interest and laced his hands together as he placed his elbows on the desktop.

"If he is, I'm hoping to catch his eye," Zoro admitted honestly.

A knowing grin spread across Kohza's face as he pulled out a small notepad from the metal box. "Then let's give them something to talk about. I'll match you against Braham. He's not their best, but his techniques will throw you off enough to make things interesting."

Usually the names were tossed into a box and pulled out randomly, hence why Kohza liked to know when Zoro was coming in. If too many armatures entered, one of them could easily be killed by the infamous veteran. Also, if others knew Zoro was attending, they would often try to come back to save face, or exact revenge. The only man to defeat Zoro in a match after he had started fighting outside the official tournaments had been Dracule Mihawk. Though the expert man took Zoro down easily, he was impressed by the youth's budding skills and encouraged Zoro to continue training. It was the last fight before the plane crash, the last one that Zoro's father had attended. Zoro was jerked into the present by the office door being thrown open, almost hitting the green-haired man in the back.

"They're back, what- oh, hey Zoro." The Irish descendant pulled his large tophat off and ran his fingers through his already messy bright almost orange hair. His grey button down shirt hung off him as if it were three sizes too big and the tattered ends of his white pants had seen better days. His scruffy beard twitched with the grin on his lips. "Guess this explains why Saga's in such a good mood. I'm assuming I should call up the doc, huh? Have him on hand just in case?"

Kohza nodded and stood from his chair, reaching for his jacket and scarf. "Keep the Shandian's out there for now, and don't mention our special guest. Zoro, just chill in here for a while, take a nap or something."

Liking the idea, Zoro walked over to the worn red couch and rested his swords against the arm. He glanced back over his shoulder to see the door shut again, leaving him the only one in the drab room. A last look around for anything of interest, and not finding any, he sat down and kicked back, intent on relaxing for as long as possible.

oOoOoOo

The sounds of uproarious cheers drifted to the back room, waking the slumbering demon. A dark, almost black eye cracked open and glared towards the source. Realizing that the fights had already begun, Zoro groggily wiped the sleep from his eyes and grabbed for his swords. Stretching with a loud groan, he sat the blades on the desk and withdrew the green fabric from the stack. Zoro's eyes held a slight tinge of sadness as he wrapped the haramaki around his waist and secured the swords within its folds. The black bandanna was tied around his bicep, completing the look and signaling to Zoro it was time to join the party.

"Wi-per! Wi-per! Wi-per!" The crowd chanted, watching the man in the cage wail on his opponent. The tribal tattoos across his face and his chest glistened beneath the layer of sweat, his half shaven head reflecting the light on each side of the long mohawk. Zoro could see a few other fighters with similar tattoos and hairstyles hanging on the chain link, shouting encouragement towards their comrade.

One man in the group drew Zoro's attention above the others. The man was a few inches taller than Zoro, or at least the green-haired man thought so. The hat that sat atop the man's head resembled an old WWII helmet, but it came down over the man's eyes, blocking any opponent from reading the fighter's moves. His fur trimmed bomber jacket lacked any of the fresh blood the others were sporting, so Zoro had an idea that this would be the man he'd be facing, and pretty soon by the looks of things. One last hit and the black man in the cage flew back, blood flying from his mouth across the nearby audience and ending the match. The tattooed man stood over the immobile body, looking down with satisfaction as the cage door was unlocked and the other man's medic came running in.

Wiper was escorted from the cage to his own doctor standing by, ready to attend to his wounds. He held eyes with Zoro as he walked past, each refusing to look away first, and only loosing eye contact when their heads could turn no further over their shoulders without moving their bodies. Zoro smirked when he was the last one to keep contact due to Wiper's rapidly swelling eye. A raven haired woman followed him out, grumbling loudly about pigheaded men as Kohza stepped up to the mic and began addressing the room, telling them it was time for the final match of the night.

Stepping from the shadows, the light hit Zoro's face just as his name was revealed to the crowd. The overwhelming noise drowned out his opponent's identity, though Zoro had already been informed of who he would be paired with. As previously thought, the helmeted man entered the cage to stand by the announcer, his height exceeding Kohza's by several inches. Zoro measured his steps to slowly enter the ring, taking the time to study the other man a little.

The instant the latch shut on the gate Braham sprang into action, launching himself towards Zoro and ready to strike. Zoro withdrew a single sword and blocked the punch almost effortlessly; scoffing at how pathetic of an enemy he had been given. Then there was the bright flash of light followed by a heavy impact to his gut. Coughing and wheezing for breath, Zoro tried to reorient himself, wondering where Braham had disappeared to. The air changed behind him and he turned just in time to block another blow aimed at his head. Again, the flash of light came, along with another solid hit to Zoro's body sending the swordsman flying back into the chain link walls.

So this is what Kohza meant by interesting. Zoro made a mental note to repay the favor as he picked himself up and faced the impassive man. Since Braham was uninjured by the contact of his arms to Zoro's blade, the only conclusion was that the man had some sort of metal arm protectors under the leather jacket. However, the bare chest that could be seen showed that the man was not invulnerable, just well prepared. Taking the offensive, Zoro brought his sword up in a wide cross swing, aiming to slice through the jacket and see if he could find just what lay beneath.

Braham spun and dodged each swing and thrust Zoro delivered, showing more grace and flexibility than a man that size would normally have. The tip of the sword finally broke through his guard and blood began to flow from a shallow wound across his sternum. A deep scowl crossed his face and Braham barely missed moving out of the way as Zoro closed the distance between them again. A flick of the wrists and Zoro was again blinded by the bright light. Double punches to the lower ribs, followed by a head-snapping hit to the jaw again brought Zoro to his knees.

Angry with himself, Zoro spat the pooling blood from his mouth onto the already disgusting floor and slowly stood up. He cautiously propped his sword against his hip and untied the black cloth from his upper arm. Zoro kept his eyes on Braham as he secured the bandanna around his head, keeping a close eye on the man's forearms, looking for any signs of the source of the light. Braham gave him the courtesy of allowing Zoro to finish before rushing at him again. This time, Zoro caught the glimpse of a metal cylindrical object beneath the jacket cuff before he was blinded again. He wasn't able to block the attack fully, but at least he kept his standing and was able to feel his blades make contact again with flesh instead of metal. The scream of a woman and the increased roar of the audience confirmed that it was a vital hit.

Blinking vigorously to try and clear his vision, Zoro withdrew a second sword and began to plan. He needed this to look vicious, but yet he had no desire to permanently disable this man or even kill him. In order to do that, Zoro had to be very precise in his strikes, so it was time to do a little fake slashing. A slight turn of his wrists and Zoro had a blade reversed, hoping to lessen the damage a little. The man would be laid up for several days, possibly a week or more even, but he would live. Now… to get rid of the lights.

With a fierce war cry, Zoro aimed the brunt of his attacks at the hidden objects attached to Braham's forearms. The first one broke and sent pieces of metal, glass and wires flying across the cage floor. If the helmet hadn't been covering Braham's eyes, Zoro was sure they'd be wide open with shock. In what looked to be an intricate dance, Zoro began to slice into Braham's body, each wound placed to look significantly deeper than it actually was. Zoro began grinning as he caught a look of worry from Saga, a good sign that everyone had thought he'd gone off the deep end. When the second light factor had been damaged, Zoro knew it was time to end the façade. A large black boot connected with a bloody chest and sent Braham flying. The defeated man held up a hand to signal he was through, but Zoro ignored his surrender and brought his swords up to deliver one final blow.

"Enough! The match is over."

Zoro narrowed his eyes angrily at the interruption, but lowered his swords just the same, doing his best to not grin at how perfect this had all played out.

"Victor… Zoro!" Kohza announced and the crowd again burst into a frenzy of cheers and angry shouts.

Money was passed around as the winners beamed and the losers tried to argue their way out of paying their debts. Zoro wiped his swords off on his pants before returning them to his side, promising to clean them properly when he returned home. He glanced over to where Wiper had knelt down at Braham's side, checking his companion's injuries. The apparent leader of the group caught Zoro's stare and gave him an almost imperceptible nod, showing that he knew just what Zoro had done and was grateful to the swordsman for sparing his friend's life.

In the shadows, a suspicious looking man in a black trench coat watched as Zoro was escorted to the back to receive his winnings, the swordsman oddly scowling after his gruesome victory. Everything was picture perfect in the watcher's eyes. Power, anger, bloodlust, this fighter had it all. He pulled out a phone, quickly pressing in a familiar number and waited for an answer on the other end.

"We've found someone rather interesting." A sinister grin crossed his face as he listened. "Hmmmm… That will work well with our plans." The man almost purred with approval at his orders.


	3. Chapter 3

AN: Yes i know i've been a horrible author. I promised on time updates and then i up and disappeared on you guys. well, to be honest it was unavoidable. hubby lost job, we had to move back near my parents so they could help us out, we're both still out of work, our brand new van got totaled 10 days after buying it (and we still haven't gotten the issue resolved)... you see where i'm going with this? RL sucks. But.... I'm back and I have 3 chapters beta'ed and ready for posting, and all the way through ch 10 written. I hope you guys will forgive me.

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Chapter 3

Zoro groaned and rolled over, trying to block out the pounding in his head. Unfortunately, it only increased, making Zoro realize it wasn't his head making the sounds, but someone at his door. He threw off his blanket and sat up wearily, knowing that if someone wasn't dead, they soon would be for waking him at that hour. Zoro pulled on a pair of (hopefully) clean sweats and kicked the bloody clothes he had shed the night before out of the way as he headed for the noise. His bottom lip and jaw were still slightly swollen and tinged with purple, complimented by the matching dark marks on his chest and abs. In short, he looked like hell.

Rubbing his eyes, Zoro opened door and opened his mouth to yell at the culprit, his voice catching in his throat at the sight of his neighbor. Kokoro stood there, hand poised to bang on his door, her bottle of ever present alcohol in her raised hand and a tray of still steaming muffins in the other. Chimney bounced up in front of him with her stuffed rabbit catching him off guard and sending him stumbling back a few steps. The green-haired man grinned at her sheepishly as he watched the little girl's eyes go wide as she took in his injuries.

"What happened? Did you get hit by a truck again?" Chimney's innocence only increased his guilt, remembering the last time she had seen him battered this bad. Zoro made a note to himself to remember to put a shirt on when he answered the door from now on.

"Something like that, but it's not as bad as it looks," Zoro rasped out as he ruffled her hair, his voice still laced with sleep as he tried to dodge Kokoro's angry glare. Chimney latched herself onto his leg and grinned up at him, happy that her hero was okay.

"So, I see you had a late night," the old woman scolded. Kokoro shoved the food at him and walked away with a slight huff. "Come see me tonight and we'll play cards. Be sure to bring something to drink."

"Yah, I'll be there," Zoro mumbled after her, an apologetic tone to his voice. He gave Chimney a gentle shove out of the doorway. "And you go get ready for school. I'll buy you ice cream if you can read your library book without help."

"Yea!!!!!" She squealed, her pigtails flying behind her as she ran back to her own place.

Today would be a good day, he though and stuffed a warm muffin in his mouth. He had to teach a class in a few hours, and then he should probably return Franky's Hummer to him and see if his own car was finished. Searching for a clean keikogi, Zoro decided that maybe it was time to hire a maid though the thought was dismissed almost as quickly as it came. The only time he had let someone in to help they had tried to throw out most of his 'reading material' and replace it with boring magazines picturing almost naked women in lewd positions. Not that he didn't appreciate some of the visual aids, but how dare they? He worshiped those muscle car books.

Zoro kicked the pile of towels out of the way far enough to open the bathroom door and reached in to turn the shower on. He shoved another muffin in his mouth as he waited for the water to heat up, enjoying the treat while it was still warm. After knocking some of the things off the counter to set the plate down, Zoro stepped into the hot stream and began to lather up, mindful of the tender bruising on his abdomen. Kohza had laughed when Zoro began griping about Braham's trickery and underhanded techniques. In truth, the swordsman was just sore about letting someone get that many hits in on him in the first place. Zoro had prided himself on leaving the ring unscathed most nights and to be humiliated like that was a severe blow to his ego.

Then there was Paula or Miss Doublefinger as she liked to be called. Even after he had told her no, she still insisted on trying to get into his pants. How he had gotten involved with her in the first place was a mystery. Maybe it was due to her double-jointed body and all the different positions she could manipulate herself into. Just the memory of her bent in half, plastered against mirrored wall behind the bar, wrists cuffed to the pipes for the sprinkler system above her head… Zoro closed his eyes and groaned, also remembering how that night ended. Him with his pants barely fastened around his waist, blood running from the cut above his eye and a very pissed off Das Bones screaming at the both of them. Zoro had called it quits after that, refusing to interfere in another's relationship. He had no idea that the two of them were together, and fortunately Bones had understood, but that didn't stop Paula from continuing to pursue him.

Zoro turned off the water and reached for a towel, scrunching up his nose at the musty smell from the one he grabbed. Deciding that maybe he'd just air-dry, Zoro walked into the kitchen and opened the fridge. Nothing, just as it was yesterday morning. Grabbing the last bottle of water from the top shelf, he returned to the bathroom to retrieve the plate of muffins. They had cooled off, but were still delicious; Kokoro's skills at baking saving him once again from a fast-food run.

The mess in his bedroom actually caught him by surprise, though one couldn't see how. Zoro sifted through the clothes on the closet floor and continued to come up empty in his search for a clean uniform. Maybe sensei would allow him to work out in a pair of sweats and an undershirt today. Yah, and after that he could go collect his bonus check for employee of the month. Fuck, if Zoro didn't find a passable uniform soon, he'd be doing one twisted form of torture or another in retribution. Where that kind sweet middle-aged man came up with that shit was beyond him.

Still naked, Zoro made a last attempt to salvage his battered body and looked in his gym bag. There, a slightly crumpled, but still clean keikogi lay hidden under last week's mail. Sighing in relief, Zoro dug the clothes out and gave them a good shake, ignoring the envelope that had the logo for the local phone company on it. He folded them back up and returned them to the bag, satisfied that they would pass, though barely. He then returned to find something else to wear in the mean time.

An hour later, Zoro pulled out Franky's garage and waved to the few workers standing outside as he drove by them. The blue-haired mechanic hadn't been in, but the keys had been left in the ignition and a note said that the car had received an oil change as well. Zoro was glad he ran the Hummer through the carwash before he returned it, and even wiped down the seats and floorboards as an extra thank-you. Pulling onto the back road, Zoro slammed the pedal to the floor and let his smile grow as he watched the speedometer climb slightly faster than before. He promised himself he'd test it out further after dark, but for now he had work to get to.

Pulling into his spot at the dojo, Zoro reminded himself he had promised Kokoro that he would be there this evening. He needed to make sure he stopped by the liquor store on his way home or his Auntie would be very upset with him. Also, if he forgot, he'd be stuck drinking water or that strange fruit drink that Chimney seemed to love. It wasn't so bad when he mixed it with rum, but on its own it would even make Luffy hesitate. Hmm. Rum did sound good tonight. He'd better make it two bottles since he knew she was pretty upset with him.

oOoOoOo

Everyone cringed as they continued to hear the echoing shouts of the Police Chief throughout the building. The server was still online, but another attack on a key witness had killed another officer and critically injured two more. Garp's door was thrown open and an enraged woman exited, her strawberry-blonde hair falling slightly from the bun she had trapped it in that morning. Making a beeline for her own office, Hina refused to speak with anyone as they scurried out of her way. The Chief could be seen sitting at his desk with his forehead resting on his interlocked fingers, elbows propped on the arms of his chair as he sighed heavily. In one swift motion, he stood up and grabbed his jacket, hat and lighter before storming out his still open door.

"Smoker!" Garp bellowed as he headed for the back exit.

Said detective snapped his head up at the tone of Garp's voice and took notice of where the old man was headed. Knowing that this wouldn't be a pleasant talk, Smoker prepared himself with a few extra cigars and donned his own jacket. Just as thought, Garp was standing at the rail of the back walkway searching his pockets and mumbling to no one in particular.

"You think you know someone, and then they go and stab you in the back. I think we've found our leak," Garp grumbled. "A sergeant over in another precinct was caught trying to log into sensitive files last night. I guess that's how they've been finding those locations."

Smoker stuck a cigar in his mouth and offered another to the upset man. "I'm guessing we'll be going through another series of password changes and all that bullshit again, huh?"

Garp sighed heavily as he took the tightly rolled tobacco and for a brief moment, Smoker swore he had seen desperation in the man's features.

"I.A. is all over my ass about this. I'm just glad that not all of the witnesses were from here or we'd all be sitting behind bars right now, guilty or not." The Chief ran a hand over his tired features and shook his head. "You know I don't normally ask how you get things done, but I need to know if you have anything yet."

Smoker shook his head slowly and leaned his forearms on the rail as he looked out over the half-empty parking lot. "I'll let you know something when I do."

"For now, we're trying to move all high-profile witnesses to new locations just in case they've been compromised. You have everything under control with the one you've hidden?" Garp leaned back against the wall and stuck his hands into his pants pockets.

"So far. I just hope that it all stays that way," Smoker noted, wondering if he would be receiving any more packages from the mysterious insider to deliver to his witness. That last one had been quite a surprise, though Smoker reasoned that he should have expected it. If they were getting their information off of the computers, then there was no way anyone could have known the last location of his guy. Smoker had held back entering anything since the computers had been acting up so much, and now he was very thankful that he did. Still, something seemed off here. He couldn't help but feel there was a major factor they were missing. He and Garp stood in silence as they finished their cigars, nodding in greeting to the few officers that came and went, each lost in their own thoughts about recent events.

oOoOoOoOo

Kokoro's door was slightly ajar and the smell of her famous beef stew had drifted across the entire floor, causing Zoro's stomach to grumble in anticipation as soon as the lift doors had opened. He closed his eyes and breathed deeply through his nose, savoring the delicious smell. He could hear Chimney's happy laughter and the faint sounds of some cartoon she was watching on the TV. It would be a good night to relax.

"It's easier to eat if you come inside, kiddo."

Zoro laughed at his Auntie's teasing and followed her suggestion. He hung his jacket on _his_ peg and allowed himself to be pulled to the table by Chimney. Zoro listened to her chatter on about her day, noting the slight deflation of happiness when speaking about her classmates, all while trying to keep an eye on Kokoro as she put the finishing touches on the meal.

When dinner was finished, and the little terror was put to bed, they adjourned to the small balcony with their respective bottles to enjoy the starry sky. The weather was still cold, but heavy jackets and a small heater kept them from shivering too much. They both stared out into the night in silence, unlike most of their time together. Usually, the older woman was full of life and conversation, but it seemed that lately there was something that weighed heavily on her mind. For her to be this silent, Zoro knew it must be truly important, and when she finally spoke, his world began to crumble.

"I'm tired of waiting for you to get your life in order, so I'm just going to have to do something drastic and tell you the truth." Kokoro sat her bottle down for the first time since he had known her.

"If this is a love confession, I don't think I can handle more than one a year, so you'll have to wait," Zoro said with as much humor as he could muster, trying to lighten the mood a little since it felt like his chest was about to explode.

"Bah! I've told you countless times I love ya, just like I do Chimney. This is a bit more personal." She kept staring at the stars, refusing to look him in the face. The tension only grew and she sighed heavily as she shifted in her seat. "I wasn't completely honest about my appointment with the doctors. It looks like my time here is almost over."

"What?" Zoro's bottle dropped to the ground and shattered, spilling the remaining rum all over concrete floor. "You're fucking with me, right? … Please say you are."

The sounds of the busy city below seemed almost eerie as he waited for her to pull the punch line and shout 'Gotcha' while laughing. Time slowed to a stop as she turned to look at him with apologetic eyes, the truth of her admission written all over her weary face.

"Not this time, honey. The doctor gave me about six months, eight months ago." His Auntie reached out and took his hand, squeezing it tight. "I'm guessing you somewhat suspected it after the other night, though."

Zoro sat back in his chair in shock yet he refused to let go of her hand. He knew she was sick, but he had no idea her health was that bad. Thinking about it though, it should have been apparent just from the amount of medicine she had been taking. Did she find out when she was in the hospital last time? Did Chimney know yet? Did anyone know?

"Have you told your sons?" he managed to choke out. The next words from her mouth cut through him deeper than any sword, piercing his heart and soul.

"No, I haven't had the courage to tell them yet. Franky's work is consuming all his time and Iceburg has elections coming up. You're the only who knows, the only one I trust." Kokoro released his hand to pick her bottle back up and take along drink. "I'll be leaving Chimney with Franky and Robin… unless you want her."

Did Auntie really think he could raise a little girl? No one out there could expect him to take care of a child since he could barely take care of himself. His house was unfit for most human life, and he was still not ready to face the ghosts in the second bedroom. He had fights to schedule, underground bosses to destroy, missing informants to locate, and his own life to get in order. A little girl didn't belong in that kind of environment. Even though Zoro was sure she had been kidding, he felt the need to explain how wrong that idea would be.

"There's no way any judge in his right mind will allow me to care for a child. I'd have to get married to Holly Homemaker, or become a preacher, in order to change their opinions of me. Robin keeps Franky in line lately, I'm sure they could handle this better. His work isn't as bad as what you think… Well, maybe it is, but that's not the point. Besides, you'll be around forever. You're too stubborn to die." Zoro closed his eyes to keep the tears from coming. After losing his own parents, he shut himself off from the world to prevent this very feeling from ever happening again. This was why he refused to get close to anyone. His voice came out barely over a whisper. "You can't die!"

"I'm not going without a fight, but I've already accepted that it's a fight I'm gonna lose sooner or later. I have every ounce of faith that things will be just fine." She stood up and leaned over to kiss him on top of his head. "I'm going to bed. Make sure you clean up the broken glass before you leave."

He nodded numbly, still trying to wrap his mind around the information she just gave him. Zoro wondered what doctor had she been seeing. He knew that some health care providers weren't always the best for specialized care. Did she even get a second opinion, or maybe see a specialist? The one doctor that Zoro knew had passed on a few years ago. Besides, doctors took money, and that was something that Zoro only had so much of right now.

Zoro wondered how hard it would be to con Smoker into letting him have few extra jobs so he could pull in some more fast cash. Of course, they'd have to figure out the whole problem with the disappearing people first. It was that or he could take up that offer for the exhibition fight. It all depended on if it was someone worthy of fighting or not. Whatever the game, Zoro needed cash quick. Time was of the essence here. She already admitted that the time the doctors gave her was up two months ago.

He forced his feet into the kitchen and rummaged under the sink for the dustpan and hand broom. After cleaning up the broken bottle, he tied-off the garbage bag and make note to take it with him when he left. In a daze he made his way back to his apartment and stumbled into bed.

OoOoOoOoO

"Oyasumi, Zo-kun."

Zoro could hear his mother's voice calling out to him as he trudged up the stairs to his bedroom. She had been encouraging him to learn Japanese and constantly used phrases that had started sticking in his head. _Ohayou gozaimasu, gomen nasai, domo arigato, onegai shimasu_; the woman never stopped. She was a walking library, or maybe even more like a living database. There was nothing that she didn't know; even when he had been in trouble.

The scene changed and Zoro was standing in the middle of a line of children, all much larger than himself, waiting to receive his trophy. He could hear whispers of his name mixed with words such as demon, cruel, hunter, killer. His childish heart began to break until he caught sight of his parents standing in the crowd, beaming with pride as the gold medal was slipped over his head. Zoro's father hugged him so tight, smothering him with praise as the other parents looked on slightly ill at ease.

Though Zoro knew it was a dream now, he let the events play out in his mind. It changed to the day of his girlfriend's death, he could tell by the clothes he was wearing. His mother had bought him that jacket as a reward for his hard work. Zoro had run over to Kuina's house all excited and couldn't wait to show her his gift. He never associated the ambulance in the drive with her, so when he saw Koushirou sitting on the front steps crying, Zoro immediately ran to his sensei's side. Losing Kuina became the major turning point for Zoro in life and it was the final push he needed to advance in his training. That night was when he made his vow to Koushirou that he would take Kuina's place in the upcoming tournament and win. Zoro swore to become the best, both for her sake and his own.

Again a shift in surroundings and Zoro was standing inside the living room which was completely trashed. It was the first time he could remember seeing disappointment in his mother's face. Zoro's parents had gone out for the weekend and left Zoro with Johnny and Yosaku to watch the house unsupervised. The teenagers had gotten a bit drunk and ended up trying to play American Gladiator inside. All his mother had done was kiss him softly on the cheek and walk up to her bedroom without a word, but the impact of her silence was like a knife through his chest. The three teens spent the next few days repairing furniture, painting walls and scrubbing carpets. Zoro promised her he would never destroy his home like that again.

Slowly, Zoro opened his eyes to stare at the ceiling in his apartment. The sun outside was barely beginning to peak over the horizon, casting long shadows across his bed. Turning his head to the side, Zoro took note of the destructive state of his room. His mother's sad face flashed through his mind and Zoro clinched his eyes shut to try to block out the image. Anger began to well within him. The one thing he could always be counted on for was his word, but looking around it seemed that maybe he wasn't as good at keeping promises as everyone had once thought.

Standing up, he kicked his dirty clothes out of the way and headed for the bathroom. With each step the pain continued to build as filth greeted him at every turn. Zoro turned and drove his fist through the wall, ignoring splinters of wood that dug deep into his knuckles. He stood there for a moment with his fist still in the wall, his eyes closed tightly as he tried to calm his rage. This was unacceptable, his life was unacceptable and it needed to change. Now. Yanking his fist out, and doing more damage in the process, Zoro continued into the bathroom to clean up and begin his day.

OoOoOoOoO

With a heavy grunt, Zoro hauled the massive amount of dirty laundry down to the basement. This early on a Saturday morning he should be able to get everything done at once and save himself a headache. A clenching tightness in his chest returned when he looked down the hall to his adopted aunt's door. The depth of her words had finally sunk in and lucid dreams deprived him of necessary sleep. Maybe he could find some time to catch a nap this afternoon. After slowly exiting the lift, Zoro opened the door to the Laundry Room and frowned. Unfortunately, the twins were already there, chatting while their miniscule clothing tumbled around in one of the dryers.

"Oh, hey there Zoro. Oh no! What happened?" Kiwi hurried over and began inspecting his bandaged hand.

"It's nothing, just a little slip. I'll be fine," Zoro tried to assure her and wondered if maybe he should have waited and done this later.

"Are you sure? It might be difficult trying to do all that laundry without getting the wrapping wet. Do you need any help?" Kiwi batted her thick fake lashes at him.

"We'd be glad to offer any assistance you might need." Mozu leaned forward and let her top slip off one shoulder, giving him an ample view of her cleavage.

He looked back and forth between them debating on if he should take them up on the offer or not. It would save him the hassle of looking like a fool while trying to sort out different colors and fabrics, one of the main reasons he hated doing laundry. How Luffy kept up with all of this, he didn't know. That boy has a hard time remembering to put on shoes, let alone matching a pair of socks. One day he might ask, but for now…

"All I have left to do is separate, and then get some soap." He could see the delight in their eyes as they realized he didn't say no.

"Oh we have plenty! You can just use ours." Mozu danced over to their basket and pulled out a large bottle of detergent.

"You just sit back and relax. We'll do all the work." Kiwi pointed to the table for him to put all four bags of his dirty clothes down, then took his arm and guided him to an empty chair.

Zoro really felt a bit guilty for taking advantage of them, but then again they did owe him. A few months ago, they had just finished for the night at the strip club and were walking back home when a couple of drunks decided they wanted another lap dance. Zoro saw the struggle, pulled over, beat the crap out of the guys and brought the twins back to their apartment, all without saying a word to them. To most it would seem rude, but to them he was just a silent hero.

He sighed.

Women. They seemed to be the bane of his existence. Zoro took women to bed when necessary, but never found one worthy of more than a quick fuck. Maybe that had something to do with Paula, or even his mother. No woman could ever be like her. Ace joked with him one day a while back that if Zoro hated women that bad, maybe he needed to look for a man. It took two men to pull Ace from the hole in the wall where Zoro had thrown him. Zoro had told about the dream in confidence, and it still irked him that he'd envisioned himself engaged in sex with a male friend. Had Zoro known the extent of Ace's teasing, he would have kept his mouth shut. Just because Ace had tricked him into kissing him, and Zoro had thoroughly enjoyed it, it didn't mean that he was interested in exploring that avenue any further. He'd just have to keep searching. Somewhere out there, there had to be someone willing to put up with him.

Mozu and Kiwi were going through his clothes and chatting like he wasn't even there. They checked his pockets, setting aside money and slips of paper, unfolded cuffs, turned his socks right-side out and even divided the whites so some of them could be bleached. It amazed him how professional they made it all look. They must do this for their brothers a lot. Confident that he had made a good choice, Zoro allowed his eyes to close and he drifted off, snoring softly over the hum of the machines.

A soft hand caressed his stubbly face and he leaned into the touch instinctively, opening his eyes slowly. Kiwi smiled down at him and blushed deeply.

"Your laundry's done, gorgeous. You looked so peaceful that we went ahead and folded it while you slept. I hope you don't mind."

He straightened up, wincing as his joints popped after being in the awkward position for so long. He turned and looked at the clock on the opposite wall, seeing that he'd been down there a little over two hours, not near what he had been anticipating. Usually it took him all day to get his laundry finished.

"Thanks. You can keep the money you found as appreciation," Zoro said gruffly as he stood up and grabbed the small roll of bills, holding it out to them in offering.

"Are you kidding? There's over a hundred dollars there." Mozu shook her head and pushed his hand away. "That's way too much. Besides, we were happy to help you out. Anytime you need it, just give us a call, ok?"

She gave him a pat on the shoulder and a quick kiss to his rough cheek before she picked up her own basket of completed laundry. Kiwi smiled to him, kissing the other cheek, and followed her sister out leaving Zoro standing there with a little grin of his own. Ok, so maybe all women weren't bad, just the ones that seemed to be interested in him personally. Zoro shook his head to clear it, and gathered up his laundry, noticing that they had washed the bags themselves too. One task down, several more to go.

OoOoOoOoO

Fifteen trash bags, two loads in the dishwasher, three bottles of bleach cleaner, half a dozen rolls of paper towels, a new bag on the vacuum, several hours and a very exhausted young man later, the apartment was almost as clean as the day Zoro moved in. The questionable items in the fridge were removed, leaving it empty and reminding him that he needed to buy food soon. Dishes had been washed and returned to the cabinets, the broken plates and rusted cookie sheets tossed in the garbage. His countertops were now visible, as well as the table and couch, and the breeze blowing in was slowly helping the smell of cleaner dissipate from the room. It looked nothing like his normal messy abode.

Zoro smiled slightly, just a little turn of his lips. Pride in one's self was reflected in their surroundings and up till now, Zoro appeared to have none. A man can be judged by several things: his home, the company he keeps, and his appearance. Well, as far as friends; they ranged from respected politicians to degenerate hooligans. No one could possibly manage to derive anything from his social status. The way he looked was a totally different matter. Rarely did he shave and he couldn't remember the last haircut he had received. His clothes were just whatever he picked up off the floor, not caring if they matched or not. The only time he even took care of his appearance was when he had to show up at a tournament with the students from the dojo. Even then, all he did was put his hair up in a pony tail, shave enough to look somewhat respectable and pick up his uniform from one of the ladies down the hall who volunteered to press it for him.

Maybe it was time to clean more than the house. He walked into his clean bathroom and pulled out a pair of scissors. The internal battle was strong, but he rationalized what he was doing by saying it was what his mother would want. He reached back and grabbed the bulk of his hair in his hand and swiftly cut through the long tresses. Snipping here and there, he tried to even it up as much as possible and ended up settling for a messy, almost spiked look. Next he dug through the medicine cabinet and pulled out a can of shaving cream. Steam fogged the mirror as he lathered up his face.

Zoro stared at his reflection in wonder. He hadn't seen his clean-shaven face in roughly four years, about the same length of time he had let his hair grow as well. Sure there were times that he had shaved here and there around his jaw line, but never his entire face at once. Seeing so much smooth skin was almost like looking at a picture of his father when he was younger. The sting of memories caused Zoro to look away from the haunting sight; it wouldn't do for him to lose it now. Taking a deep breath he forced himself to look back at the mirror.

There were actually a few differences now that he took the time to study himself closer, the main one being hair color. His father's hair was black, and barely lay on his shoulders when not pulled into a topknot at the back of his head. The elder Roronoa was tall, though not overly muscled; his body more wiry than buff. Zoro gained his green locks from Sarah, his mother, but sadly that was all he inherited from her. She was a slender, willowy woman with fair skin and light green eyes who loved jazz or blues music and old black and white musicals. Her favorite food was shellfish and she loved to drink lemonade. His father liked classical, war movies, liver and onions, and sake. Separate, they couldn't be more different but when combined they were absolutely perfect. It was the first time Zoro had thought happily about his parents in years and a small amount of grief left him with the warm memories.

Zoro fingered the slim piece of metal that he had taken from his dresser, his mind not completely sure he was ready to face the task ahead. Everything of importance his parents had left had been secured behind the only locked door in the apartment; never to be touched since the key had been turned years ago. With change came choices, and Zoro had no choice left but to go through everything and make some long overdue decisions. Not everything could be kept, and some of it should probably be deposited in a safe box at the bank. Zoro remembered the expensive jewelry his mother loved to wear to parties and formal occasions, and he silently reprimanded himself for overlooking that piece of information. There were also several firearms from his father's collection in there as well as a beautiful katana that Zoro had longed to carry at his side. Taking a deep breath, Zoro knew it was time to finish. He walked to the spare bedroom door and inserted a key into the lock.

Closing his eyes and holding his breath, he entered the very dusty room. There was barely a pathway through all the boxes, each labeled in someone else's handwriting. Everyone had been wonderful to him back then, from Luffy who preparing to graduate high school, to Dr. Hiriluk, who had sadly died since then. Robin came over and organized things with Cutty Flam and the Franky Family, the men doing wonders with the heavy lifting. Nami proved her usefulness in helping auction off the major furniture and home décor that Zoro would never find a use for. The house itself had been bought by Iceburg, saying it was the perfect location on the coast where he could easily travel to the office and City Hall. Everything sentimental or personal had been packed away in each of these boxes, ready now to be sorted and rediscovered.

The sun had started its descent by the time Zoro sat in the middle of the floor with random items scattered everywhere. Business files were set aside to burn, along with back tax records and other personal information. Photo albums had already been put out on the bookshelves in his living room to look through later. The family pictures that had hung on the wall in his parent's home were in the pile for limbo. He wanted some of them, but he had no desire to look at twenty pictures of the same person every day; one or two would do nicely. There was a large safe that contained the jewelry and pistols, and also his and his parent's birth certificates. The katana wasn't found, but he had an idea that it might have been given to Smoker to hold on to. He'd ask the detective next time they talked. Turning, Zoro faced the multitude of boxes containing clothes.

His father's Armani suits were almost perfect for him, so they were hung in the closet next to the military dress uniform as well as his mother's wedding dress. It was a beautiful gown, made from the softest white silk, trimmed with hand-stitched embroidery and eighty-eight pearl buttons trailing down the back. Zoro had no idea why he kept it, but he felt that maybe someday it might prove useful. Who knows, maybe his own bride would wear it.

Shaking his head violently to rid himself of the image, he continued to box the clothes he didn't feel he could use. Robin was roughly his mother's size, though several inches taller, so Zoro decided to set aside the fancy party dresses for her. She was always going to extravagant museum and art openings, and his mother had often commented on how it was poor taste to wear the same thing twice. Zoro trailed his fingers over the plastic bag protecting the glittery fabric, remembering the last time his mother had worn the dress. Those were happy times that he hadn't allowed himself to think about in a long time. With a heavy heart, but lighter soul, he continued separating clothes.

By that evening, the only things Zoro was having difficulties knowing what to do with was his mother's research. Sarah had been a software programmer and her work was highly sought after so just throwing it all away seemed wrong. Neither he nor his father had ever had much of an understanding of what she did, but they both knew that the woman had been the bread maker of the family. Sarah had just signed a contract with a high profile company to begin work on a special assignment before the tragedy hit. Now, no one would ever be able to benefit from her gift of knowledge again.

Zoro looked at the large box of hard drives, discs, and equipment that had occupied his mother's office and wondered where to put it. In addition, there were three laptops and two different types of printers, a flat screen monitor and miles upon miles of cables. One laptop and printer he could see keeping, but not all of them. Maybe he could ask Smoker if he had anyone reliable in the department who could take a look at it and see if there was anything important stashed somewhere inside all this mess. Then Zoro could decide what to keep and what to toss. Shaking his head, Zoro finished setting the electronics aside. He didn't even know if any of them still worked.

Zoro stretched his arms above his head, his back popping back into place as he tried to loosen the muscles in his shoulders. He looked at all the boxes he had stacked by the front door and wondered what to do with them. Some would need to be taken to the basement of the building and thrown in to the incinerator, but the usable things… Maybe if he left them in the hall they would disappear. Zoro opened the door to do just that and was met with a colorful object practically shoved up his nose. He pushed the book down to give an annoyed look to its now teary eyed owner who was staring at the large stack of boxes.

"You're leaving? Do you not like us anymore?" Chimney's bottom lip quivered as she hugged the book and her ever-present bunny tight to her chest.

Zoro's brow furrowed in confusion for a moment, trying to figure out why she was there. He looked from her teary eyes to the book before remembering his earlier promise of ice cream. A sly grin crossed his face as he answered her. "Now who in their right mind would want an impish little munchkin like you around?"

Chimney looked up into his mischievous face and then kicked him hard in the shin. "That wasn't nice to trick me! I thought you were moving."

She stomped on his foot for added measure and stormed past him into the now clean apartment. Zoro nursed his abused calf and contemplated throwing her back out, but then again he did deserve it. He was about to ask her to leave when she spoke again.

"It doesn't stink in here anymore. Did you finally find the gremlin that kept destroying everything?"

Her honesty caught him off guard and it took Zoro a moment to remember the lie he had told her for why his place was always so messy before. "I think it's gone now. As long as I keep the place clean it will stay away."

"Ok." She skipped over to the windows and looked out at the waning light. With a light blush on her cheeks, she looked back at him and smiled shyly. "I like your haircut."

A little shocked at the compliment, Zoro couldn't hide the blush on his own cheeks as he just nodded his thanks. He quickly turned and headed into the kitchen to see if he had anything to offer her to drink that didn't contain alcohol. He watched her wander the room in awe for a moment before stopping at a picture that had just been hung on the wall next to the window. It showed a young Zoro frowning up at beautiful woman who was wiping tears from her eyes as she laughed, a tall black haired man behind them smiling softly at the scene.

"Zoro, who are these people in the picture?" Chimney asked, full of curiosity.

Zoro joined her with two glasses of Pepsi that was hopefully not too flat, and set the drinks on the now cleared coffee table.

"My parents," he said softly, still not ready to say much about them.

Chimney nodded, remembering the loss of her own family, and hurried over to join him on the couch, giggling as Zoro made room for her to crawl up in his lap. The book was pulled out and she held it up briefly for him to see before opening it and beginning.

"Junie B. Jones loves handsome Warren. My name is Junie B. Jones. The B stands for Beatrice. Except I don't like Beatrice…" Chimney's sweet voice brought to life the words in the story and Zoro listened with as much interest as he could muster.

The stress of the last few days began to wear on him and soon Zoro's eyes began to droop. A few nods later and he was out for the count. Chimney either didn't notice or didn't care as she continued to read about the little girl and her attempts to gain the new boy's attention. Midway through, Chimney stopped to take a drink, making a horrible face at the fizz-less pop. She snuggled back into Zoro's chest and wrapped his arms around her tightly, giggling when he nuzzled the top of her head in his sleep. Her forehead wrinkled in concern as she traced the bandage over Zoro's knuckles.

oOoOoOo

Zoro woke to the strange feeling of something vibrating against his hip and the warm bundle in his arms shifting slightly to escape the object. Cracking open an eye, he realized that he had fallen asleep with Chimney in his arms and somehow managed to end up with them both laying down, his head on the arm of the couch and hers on his chest. The vibrating started again and Zoro reached into his pocket to pull out his phone.

"Yah," he managed to get out, and then cleared his throat so he could speak a little clearer.

"_Is this the fighter from the cages?_" an unknown woman asked.

"Who is this?" Zoro sat up carefully, cradling Chimney to him so as not to drop her on the floor.

"_You've been noticed, and my master would like to give you the opportunity to serve him."_ The woman's voice was soulless, void of emotion.

Zoro tightened his grip on the phone, not sure that he liked the fact that these people had gotten his number so easily. "You can tell your master to go fuck himself. I don't take orders from anyone."

"_He will be very displeased to hear that you have refused his offer,_" the monotonous voice stated, ending the call with an almost silent click.

Chills went down Zoro's spine, sending warning signals throughout his body. Whoever this was, they were dangerous. Mentally berating himself, a little too late Zoro realized that maybe this was the person responsible for killing all the witnesses and officers lately. He pulled up the call log to see if the number showed, not surprised when the word PRIVATE came up. Cursing softly under his breath, Zoro wondered if there was a way to make this work for him. Maybe another show at the cages would bring him some more attention and even a second offer.

Chimney shifted in his arms and snuggled into Zoro's chest, apparently lulled by the beating of his heart in her ear. How easy it was for a child to remain blind to the worries of the world, leaving the adults to bear the burdens alone. Standing carefully, Zoro lifted the child in his arms and headed for the door. He passed by the stack of boxes and reminded himself that he needed to get rid of everything. After dropping Chimney off with Kokoro, who looked much better today, he began the tedious task of loading the lift with everything for the basement. When that chore was done, he began piling the rest of the boxes in the hall. They were marked for Goodwill, so maybe someone would take the hint and dispose of everything for him.

Still frustrated at missing the possible opportunity to get inside the ranks of the assassins, Zoro decided that he could use a little training and headed for the dojo. Koushirou had been his sensei long before he became Zoro's boss so when he asked for a key to the place so he could train anytime, the elder man was more than willing to accommodate him. Tonight would be only one of many times that Zoro had taken the opportunity to hone his skills in the moonlight. Zoro pulled his car into a vacant spot close to the entrance, never noticing the black Porsche that parked directly across the street when he went inside.

Foregoing the normal dojo attire, Zoro set his boots outside the practice room and stripped down to just his pants. Having brought only one sword, techniques unique to his personal style would be impossible to work on, but that didn't mean that he was without single sword fighting knowledge. It was the way his father fought, and the way Zoro had originally been instructed in before he began to develop his own rhythm. Bare feet padded across the mats and opened the shoji doors to reveal the starry sky. Zoro closed his eyes and took in a deep breath of the chilled air, letting it out slowly and with it some of the tension that had gathered in him. The wrapping on his hand stretched tightly as he gripped the sword and began to move.

Invisible enemies began to form around him, each with the same unknown face that he had given the murderer of his parents. As Zoro began slicing through each one, he poured every ounce of anger and resentment into every swing. When Smoker had shown up at the tournament instead of his father, Zoro knew something had happened, but not once had he accepted that the plane crash had been an accident. Only bits of the wreckage had been found leaving the anguished son to erect headstones over empty graves, never able to find closure in their passing. A blurred security image and an unusual symbol were the only clues he had to work with.

Time seemed to slow and everything stilled, allowing Zoro to almost see the cuts in the air around him as he continued to butcher his hated enemy. Sweat clung to his brow, dampening his hair and running from his neck to gather with the beads that had begun to form across his shoulders and back as he continued to vent his frustration with life. He could hear the sound of his mother's cheers as she would watch he and his father battle each other in this very room. He could see the way his father's eyebrow would raise on one side, mocking him as Zoro attempted to gain the upper hand and failed. He could smell the oils Kuina used as she cleaned the sword he now held in his hands. Unknowingly, a tear escaped down his face, mixing in with the sweat as if to hide its very existence.

oOoOoOo

Another turn and the blade almost sang as it passed easily through the target, sending the straw wrapped bamboo flying. Again and again the pole was attacked, each time from a different direction and angle. Huffs of steam escaped his mouth into the cold night air as he continued with his training. The ground was littered with broken pieces of the targets, each measured piece showing the deadly precision of the swordsman's movements. His grey and white hair hinted at his age, but to see the agility and speed his body possessed, no one would ever think him to be old. White fabric edged in black fluttered around him as he continued to train, his eyes unfocused though his blade deftly found its mark every time. Soon his assignment would be given and he would take yet another life, but it wouldn't matter. He'd take as many as they asked; as long as he could regain the one he lost.


	4. Chapter 4

AN: See, I told you guys I'd try to do some quicker updates for a few days until I'm caught up with what I currently have done (that's about ch 6). so..... enjoy!!

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Leaving It All Behind Chapter 4

_He remained still inside the small closet, praying that he would not be discovered yet as it was sure to be his death if so. The pounding of his heart threatened to give him away, sounding immensely loud in the enclosed space. Men were running past his hiding place, shouting orders to one another to find the culprit and destroy him. He felt like a coward hiding here when all he wanted was to step outside and kick every one of their asses. Unfortunately, he had promised the strange man that he would keep the package safe and couldn't afford to take the risk that it might get damaged in the fight. So, here he was, hiding in a random closet like a damn woman, waiting for the right moment to escape._

_Suddenly everything changed. The small space enlarged to a dining hall where the men who had been chasing him were eating lavish dinners and drinking way too much alcohol. Across the way stood a beautiful woman, her sad features in complete contrast to those around her. He started across the room to comfort her when the strange man from before blocked the way._

"_Keep it safe," was all the man said._

_The floor fell out from under him and suddenly he was underwater, fighting to reach the surface. His father's face appeared over him and the old man's hand reached down only to come up short of meeting his own. No matter how hard he tried his father kept getting further and further away. The lack of air began to make his chest burn and he knew if he didn't surface soon, all would be lost. The movement of his arms and legs became restricted and panic began to set in as he opened his mouth to scream for help. _

"Sonny! Sonny, wake up!"

Sonny's eyes snapped open, fear clearly etched on his face as he tried to remember where he was. The concerned face of the officer assigned to him was only a few inches from his own, causing a slight feeling of unease to spread over him. What was wrong with this guy's face?

"Hey fucker, get off me. I can't move."

The officer chuckled, obviously relieved and sat up to give Sonny room. "You gave us quite a scare there. Good thing you got me here to keep an eye on you tonight. If it were anyone else, you'd probably be full of lead right now."

Sonny struggled against the sheet and blanket that were bound around him, frowning irritatedly. "Look shithead, help me out here."

A full hearty laugh this time only served to fuel his annoyance, but the officer complied and untangled Sonny from his self made cocoon. As soon as he was free, the witness swatted him away and headed directly for his cigarettes.

"Look, man. Smoker didn't tell us much about what was going on, but I do know you're a key witness in a major case. I don't know what you saw, but if you ever need to talk…" the guy shrugged a little, as if he expected his offer to be tossed aside.

Sonny regarded him for a moment as he let the nicotine settle his nerves, wondering just how young the man was. He looked like he was barely old enough to be out of high school. Black curly hair puffed out from under a checkered bandanna and a pair of strange goggles sat atop his head. He wore the standard black issued uniform with a black flac vest over it and an impressive looking gun attached to his hip. But the most distinguishing feature was his long nose. Hopefully this kid had some special ability or something, because he honestly didn't look like he could hurt a fly.

"Well, Sonny, my name is Usopp if you need anything. My shift here ends in a couple hours, but I'll probably be back. Smoker said he didn't want too many people to know where you were." Usopp stood from where he had been sitting on the bed and began to walk out dejectedly.

"Hey, Longnose."

Usopp turned around quickly, startled at both being addressed and the blatant nickname.

Long pale fingers rearranged the curtain of blond hair over the left side of his face as Sonny crushed the spent cigarette into the ashtray. His visible blue eye met with startled brown ones a moment before he turned around to look out the window. "It's Sanji, not Sonny. And, thanks."

oOoOoOo

Zoro spent the rest of his weekend at the dojo putting his body through harsh training, both in preparation for upcoming fights as well as to rid him of the sudden bouts of weakness that he had been experiencing lately. Helping a little girl change for bed, letting women take care of his laundry for him, falling asleep with someone in his arms; these things were unacceptable for a ruthless hunter like himself. He needed to refocus and get back to the goals that really mattered: defeating Mihawk. He was still bothered by the missing people and murdered officers, but until he was able to get his hands on something, things were at a bit of a standstill with the case. Hopefully he could get another chance to speak with the person on the phone again, though he wasn't even certain that it was the same group. Zoro knew his best bet was to return to the cages, and soon, because clues don't just get handed to you everyday.

Returning late to his apartment Sunday, Zoro was happy to see that all of the boxes were gone from the hall. He headed straight to the kitchen and grabbed a bottle of water from the fridge, downing more than half without taking a breath. A chill ran over him and he immediately went on guard. There was someone in his home that didn't belong. The bottle dropped to the floor and he dove for the case holding his swords. In a flash, he had opened the latch and withdrawn a single katana. He crouched next to the leather chair in the living room, searching the dark for the intruder. Feminine giggles drifted over from the open window between the bookcases. Zoro backed up to the wall and let his free hand search out the switch, flooding the room with light yet revealing nothing. He inched forward; sword gripped tightly in his hand, and kept his senses on high, trying to figure out where the woman had gone. Suddenly he was engulfed in darkness again. Zoro spun around blindly, the almost childish laughter seeming to come from everywhere at once. Whoever this was, they were really pissing him off.

"Horo-horo-horo-horo-horo! She warned you he'd be disappointed that you didn't accept his invitation," the girl's voice was laced with glee as she scolded him. Before Zoro could answer, the front door opened and outlined what appeared to be a teenage girl. Two long pigtails hung down from between a round crown with a cross on top. She wore a shoulder cape over what could barely be called a t-shirt, and an extremely short mini-skirt with striped stockings. "I don't know what he sees in you though. You're not cute at all."

"Yah, well I have this thing about being told what to do. And who gives a fuck if I'm cute or not, as long as I get the job done." Zoro lowered his sword, though not his guard. There was something _very_ disturbing about this woman, warning him that getting close to her would probably be a bad idea.

"Well!" The girl turn haughtily and stomped her foot on the floor. "Just be that way then. I'm supposed to tell you his offer still stands, but now I don't think I will."

Zoro fought to keep from rolling his eyes. Seriously, how old was she? There was no way this could be the organization that he had been looking for, unless maybe this was the leader's daughter; that would account for her spoiled, childish actions. If nothing else, at least now he knew he hadn't ruined his chances completely if this did prove to be the right lead. Maybe he should let Smoker know what was going on first. If the detective had any information on this girl, it might prove useful later on.

"Tell him I'll think about it."

Pleased with the response, the girl smiled widely at Zoro and closed the door behind her as she left. The lift opened and she entered, wrinkling her nose in disgust as she eyed Jigorou standing in the back. He opened his mouth to speak and she held up a hand, signaling him to stop.

"You have no right to speak to me," she stated harshly. The super scowled at her and clenched his fists at his sides, though she continued to refuse to look at him. "All I needed from you was the key to his place, nothing more."

The doors opened again and she exited the lift, hurrying to the waiting car outside.

oOoOoOo

Zoro glared at the closed door for a few minutes, trying to understand how she had gotten into his apartment. He walked back over to shut the open window and notice a black limo parked outside. He watched the strange girl run from the front doors of the building and quickly climb inside. Just as the car pulled away, he saw the resident super step outside and watch the vehicle until it disappeared around the corner. Having a better idea of how the intruder entered now, Zoro made a note to have his locks changed as soon as possible. He brought his sword up in front of him and shook his head apologetically.

"No blood tonight, Sandai. Maybe next time." Zoro walked back over to his case and returned the blade to its resting place, reminding himself to clean everything properly right after his shower.

Feeling more relaxed, Zoro pulled on a pair of sweats over his still damp body and proceeded to gather the things he needed for cleaning his swords. The reflection of red flashing lights outside drew his attention and Zoro walked over to the window for a second time that night. Down below, two cop car and an ambulance were parked outside the apartment. Curious as to know what was going on, he opened his door and stepped into the hallway.

"Excuse me, sir. Could you please return to your apartment?" Taking in Zoro's scowl and powerful physique, the uniformed officer immediately put one hand on his gun and held the other out signaling Zoro to stop. "Sir, we need the hall clear, please."

"What's going on?" Zoro demanded.

"Sir, you need…" The officer's palm hit Zoro's bare chest and he paled at the feel of the shear strength that lay within the muscles under his hand.

"Fuck what you think I need, I want to know what's… going… on, oh shit." Zoro trailed off as he watched EMS wheel out the gurney with Kokoro strapped securely in.

"Sir, the paramedics need to get to the elevator, we need you to move." The uneasy officer pressed the button on the radio attached to his shoulder and called for backup.

"No." Zoro started towards the old woman, something akin to fear etched on his face. "Kokoro! Auntie!"

The officer tried to restrain him but was thrown to the side with little effort. Another uniformed man came out of Kokoro's apartment to assist just as two more came bursting through the stairwell door. The three of them ran at him at once, trying to stop his advance and failing. A couple doors opened on the floor and the officers were joined by some of the residents trying to keep Zoro from getting to the woman.

"Get the fuck off me!" Zoro screamed.

"Roronoa! Roronoa, calm down! Zoro, it's going to be okay. Calm down! Damn it, calm down before I have to shoot you, asshole!" a familiar voice yelled at him. Zoro turned his head to look down the barrel of a gun, trailing his eyes up to meet the angry face of Sergeant Fullbody. "They need to get through so she can get to the hospital."

Slowly, Zoro nodded in understanding, and shaking everyone off him he watched, wide-eyed as the wary paramedics continued down the hall to the lift. He kept repeating over and over in his mind that she would be just fine, but the sad smile she gave him through the oxygen mask said otherwise. Sniffling could be heard from several of the onlookers as the doors closed and the elevator began its descent.

"Now, to call child services to come take care of the brat." Fullbody clapped Zoro on the shoulder as he walked by; obviously missing the signs of internal battle Zoro was suffering from at that moment.

"Wait." Zoro called out as Fullbody turned to look back at him. Bringing a hand to rub at the muscles in his neck, Zoro looked from the elevator doors to the cop. Shrugging his shoulders in defeat, he looked towards the still open door to Kokoro's apartment. "Just leave her here with me and I'll make sure she gets to her uncle."

"What? Let you watch over her? Right, leave a kid with you. Now I've heard it all." Fullbody laughed as he shook his head and continued down the hall.

"If you call DHS they'll take a couple hours to send someone out, then all they will do is take her to the office and begin paperwork, making the kid suffer more than necessary until they find out that she's supposed to go to her uncle anyway. Just let her stay with me until I can get a hold of him. He should be able to be here within the hour. You can talk to Kokoro even and I'm sure she'll say the same thing." Zoro listened to himself as if he were someone else speaking. Why was he so readily agreeing to keep her? He should just let them take care of things.

"I don't know, Roronoa." Fullbody crossed his arms over his chest and thought.

Everything he said was true, but this was Zoro Roronoa they were talking about. Fullbody had seen the end result of one of the matches Zoro supposedly fought in, and there was no way he could feel safe leaving a little girl in the care of a monster who could deal that much damage without batting an eye. Hell, the scar running across his torso showed that Zoro had nearly been cut in half at one point and still lived. There were even shadowed spots showing recent bruising and a bandaged hand, making Fullbody wonder if the man had engaged in an illegal fight again. It was then that Chimney pushed out of the apartment, ran past him and tackled Zoro, clinging to his legs and crying, refusing to let go. It was strange to see such a cute little girl clinging to the half dressed killer.

"Just let the brat go with him. We'll all vouch that he's a big part of her life, won't we?" A skinny old woman dressed in a pair of low cut jeans and short shirt stepped up next to Fullbody and gestured to all the residents standing in the hall. They all nodded, murmurs of agreement filtering through the air. She winked at Zoro and cackled happily. "This way, everyone can be happy."

Fullbody looked between the old woman doctor, who had been attending Ms. Kokoro when he arrived, and Zoro, who seemed to be fighting a blush as he awkwardly patted the little girl's head. Knowing that this could be one of the most amusing stories he'd had to tell in a long time, Fullbody decided to go ahead and let things be. "Fine. But I'm going to keep an eye on you. I'll be hanging around until this supposed uncle shows up."

"Let's discuss that over a nice glass of sake, alright?" Kureha put her arm around Fullbody's shoulders and guided him over to the elevator. "Just don't think I'll give you the secret to my youth."

Zoro glared at everyone, silently ordering them to back off and give him some privacy. He looked down at the top of Chimney's head and wondered if he had made the right decision. As her sobbing slowed down to sniffling and hiccups, she finally released his leg to wipe her face with the sleeve of her nightgown. Zoro wasn't surprised to see her other hand clutching the strange looking stuffed animal she always carried around. Large watery eyes looked up at him, letting him know she understood everything a lot more than she should at her age.

"She's gonna die, isn't she?" Chimney's voice was broken due to her crying.

Zoro could only nod as tears continued to fall down her face. "Soon, but you already knew that, didn't you?"

Chimney nodded and hugged the animal tightly to her chest as she slowly walked in to Zoro's apartment. Zoro accompanied two of the officers back to Kokoro's apartment and answered their few remaining questions before taking the spare key off the hook by the closet and locking the front door. When he returned to his own place, he found Chimney fast asleep on the couch. Zoro covered her with a blanket and secured the safety latch on the front door so that they hopefully wouldn't have any further unwanted intrusions for the night. The clock in the kitchen read 2 AM. He hoped that Robin answered this time; Franky wasn't the easiest to deal with when he first wakes up.

oOoOoOo

Robin indeed was the one who answered since apparently Franky was still out _working_. She immediately hurried over and picked up the sleeping girl. Fullbody grudgingly accepted that he had found the Flam's to be listed as an emergency contact and even Zoro was authorized to pick up the girl if necessary. After seeing Robin off when she finally picked Chimney up, Zoro decided that maybe he hadn't blown off as much steam as he had previously thought and began to redress. He grabbed his swords and slung them over his shoulder before storming out of his apartment for the second time that night.

Kaashii and Oimo shouted out to him happily as he tore down the street and slid almost sideways into the parking lot. Their enthusiasm melted away when they saw the troubled face on the fighter. A few of the people standing out front backed away as Zoro approached the doors.

"Yo, Zoro! You've missed the entry fees and everything I don't think that Kohza will let you fight," Oimo held out his hand and was shocked when Zoro didn't even look at him as he continued into the bar.

"Man, I haven't seen him this bad in years… I didn't think he had anyone else to lose. I wonder who died." Kaashii kept a worried eye on the door as he spoke.

"Maybe we should be more worried about who's gonna die," Oimo pointed out. Together they nodded and turned back to resume their guard.

Inside, Zoro yanked off his hat and coat, throwing them to the bartender rudely as he passed. The man gasped in surprise at Zoro's new, clean-cut appearance and hurried to pick up the phone and call back to the office to warn everyone that there might be trouble. Veteran fighters all turned towards his foreboding aura, knowing the warning signs better than the spectators. The men in the cage continued to battle, unaware of the impending threat standing just outside their field of vision.

"You clean up quite nice," Paula cooed as she slid a hand up Zoro's arm.

Without taking his eyes of the match, Zoro shook her off. His voice was as cold as ice as he spoke. "Fuck off bitch."

Paula bristled and was about to strike when her husband appeared on the other side of Zoro, effectively stopping her with a single look. Obviously pissed, but realizing she would lose the battle, Paula moved away and continued to serve drinks to the waiting customers. The dark skinned man crossed his arms over his chest, standing silently next to the troubled man, and waited until the fight was over before speaking.

"It seems I missed quite a show the other day. Care to make up for it?" Daz kept his eyes on the cage as he spoke, but Zoro knew he had the man's full attention. The hidden meaning behind the words was perfectly clear in the tense atmosphere: you fought without me seeing so I'm going to kick your ass.

A humorless smirk tugged at Zoro's lips as he nodded and headed for the gate. Kohza took one look at them and held up a hand for them to wait. He finished handing out the prize money before stepping into the cage himself. He walked to the center of the ring and waited for the others to join him. Zoro set his case down on the table by the entrance and pulled out his swords, leaving the sheaths so they wouldn't get in the way. Daz dropped his jacket in a chair, the tattoo across his bare chest standing out as he pulled out his own blades and strode over to Kohza first.

"You guys know that I don't normally do this. I have rules here and this goes against several of them. But, I can also see that there is something going on that needs to be vented so I'd rather you guys battle it out here than to go into the real world and land up in jail. Cage fee is one thousand. If I bet on you and you win, it's free. If you lose, you pay double." Kohza watched for the nearly imperceptible nods from both men. "Zoro, there's been someone asking about you. He's here tonight so try not to get yourself killed. He's been scaring away some of the customers."

Zoro broke away from the staring contest he had been having with Daz to look around the bar. There were too many shadows to be able to see the faces of everyone, but he did catch a dark figure hiding against one of the far walls. Defeat Daz, then see about ramming one of his swords up the ass of the nosy stalker. Sounded like a plan to him.

Daz struck before he was ready, but not completely unprepared; a dangerous gleam in both of their eyes. Zoro blocked the attack with the single sword in his left hand, and while holding the man at bay he leisurely placed the white sword between his teeth. Daz's glare intensified as he took in the mocking actions of his opponent and thrust forward with all his strength, shoving Zoro across the ring and into the chain link. With lightning speed, the men charged at each other, two blades against three as each fought for dominance in the fight.

Daz turned his blades so they rested down his forearms as he blocked the onslaught of lethal swings from Zoro. He caught all three swords as they aimed for his chest and locked the five blades together so neither of them could move, giving him the opportunity to deliver a solid kick to Zoro's gut.

Grunting with the impact, Zoro curled in slightly as he stumbled back and frowned at the superior air that had settled around Daz. If he didn't get his act together, he would surely be beaten today and that was something Zoro couldn't tolerate. He took a deep breath and centered himself, drawing upon his calm and relaxing his body as he refocused.

"You know, when I beat you this time, you'll have to admit defeat." Zoro leveled both swords at the other man.

"When you beat me? That ardent fervor of yours will be a point to contend with. As a swordsman, you cannot defeat me. No other swordsman has even laid a scratch." Daz knew taunting Zoro would always bring out the man's strengths faster.

"Yah, I see what you're saying. But you should save those pretty memories for your photo album. It doesn't matter how many times we've fought in the past, you'll not win tonight."

"At least your tongue is sharp." Daz extended his blades out again and began to charge forward.

"I'll take that as a compliment, octopus licker." Zoro blocked the downwards swing with ease.

"How long will this take?" Daz inquired in his normal bored tone.

"Depends on you."

Daz broke the hold and swung around, using his force and pushing Zoro back again, the green-haired swordsman sliding across the bloodstained floor. Seeing the kick this time Zoro was able to push off Daz's blades and bend backwards to avoid the blow, following through by springing back onto his hands and over to his feet again. The flashes of light bouncing off their blades looked like tiny sparks amidst the flurry of movement between the two; each man holding his own and neither giving an inch. Daz's speed found a gap in Zoro's defense and a single blade sliced along Zoro's arm, dripping blood from the tainted blade and gaining cheers from the crowd at the sight of red.

Zoro jumped back and clutched his bicep, letting out a hiss of pain followed by a growl of anger as he realized his mistake. "I've trained myself more than anyone. I've been in predicaments on the brink of death and always risen to the occasion. I refuse to fall here to the likes of you."

Almost doubling his speed, Zoro began to attack, leaving Daz with no choice but to defend. Every swing of the three katana was met with equal force and Daz could see the battle being raged within his friend. Knowing that any slack that he gave the smaller man today would be seen as an act of dishonor, the dark skinned man renewed his efforts to win their vicious battle. He swore that sparks were produced with the strength and friction between their blades as Zoro fought with his broken heart. Whatever had happened, Daz knew that it had wounded his friend deeply. Not hesitating when he had his chance, Daz quickly thrust his blade into the small opening in Zoro's attack and frowned when the weapon connected with the other man's side. Stepping back to wait for Zoro to admit defeat, Daz watched the rage surround Zoro's bent figure.

"I've felt this way before. The world goes deafeningly silent. I hear my heartbeat thundering in my ears." Zoro dropped the swords in his hands and gently took his favored katana from his mouth.

"I don't think you can take my attacks with just one sword."

"I won't take them anymore." Zoro slowly rose to his feet.

"So you've prepared yourself. Very well." Daz started to run forward.

Zoro rested his sword at his side gently and took a deep breath. In the last second before attacking, he flipped the blade over presenting the blunt side to his opponent and landed a blow across Daz's chest that sent the large man sailing into the fence before falling into a heap on the floor.

"I thank you. I can still become stronger."

Medics came rushing in, but were swatted away when they tried to turn Daz over. The large man sat up slowly, clutching his chest and wincing at the pain the action caused him. He nodded to Zoro, conceding to his defeat and turned back to snap at the man currently trying to help him up as Paula shouted orders to everyone around.

oOoOoOo

Zoro walked out of the cage and was immediately surrounded by a cheering crowd. Kohza knocked them away and ushered Zoro to an empty table, encouraging him to sit down in a chair. Zoro allowed Kohza's medic to tend to the slashes in his arm and side as he listened to Paula and Daz argue about certain people being off limits. The air shifted and a strange creature appeared in the chair across from him. The man's long blonde hair hung down from under a strange ball-shaped white hat with blue markings. His facial features were almost catlike, with slitted eyes and a strange curve to his lips. The man hummed softly, the sound almost a purr as he smiled at Zoro over the rim of a frosted mug.

"We were worried. Your appearance has changed since we first saw you." The man's smile faltered slightly as his eyes caught the swing of Paula's hips as she walked by, completely mesmerizing him. The medic's polite cough as he gathered up his things brought the stranger's attention back to the conversation at hand. "Forgive us. I am Absalom. You met Perona earlier this evening."

Zoro's eyes narrowed dangerously as he made the connection to the break-in in his apartment. It took every ounce of his willpower to keep from launching across the table and strangling the man with his bare hands. "The bitch broke into my house."

"She's good at that," Absalom chuckled before downing the last of his drink and sat the mug noisily down on the table. "We are in no hurry for your answer. Master just thought you might need some incentive."

"If you're planning on threatening or blackmailing me, you should consider getting your facts straight first. I don't bow to any man and I have nothing left to lose."

Absalom laced his fingers together and rested his chin atop them as he braced his elbows on the table. A sinister smile crossed his face as he spoke. "So the girl means nothing to you?"

Zoro launched himself across the table, knocking Absalom out of his seat and into one of the support pillars behind him. They rolled together across the floor, each trying to come out on top. The straggling viewers of the cage fights gathered around, almost all of them cheering on their favorite green-haired swordsman. Zoro's swords had tumbled to the ground from where they were propped against the table as they continued to grab and punch at each other. Absalom managed to get a knee up between them and shoved with all his strength, sending his opponent sailing across the room. Zoro crashed into another table, using the momentum to summersault backwards to his feet and spring towards his swords. Shouts of surprise mixed in with orders from Kohza's men and bodies scrambled to get out of the building.

The crowd cleared and the two men faced each other over the broken furniture; Zoro with all three swords in place and Absalom with both guns drawn. Kohza and two of his men waited to the side, weapons drawn and ready to take both men down if needed.

"So there really is a woman in your life? That wasn't in our information." Absalom snickered as he slid his pistols back into the holsters hidden beneath his jacket. "How interesting."

Zoro narrowed his gaze at the feline man and silently swore, pissed at himself for making such a mistake. The memory of waking up with Chimney on his chest had been the first thing that came to mind when a girl was mentioned. He should have known better than to let himself get pulled into trickery like that. A business card was tossed onto the floor at his feet and Absalom turned to leave.

"Give us a call when you're ready to talk."

Everyone watched the gunman leave, their uneasy eyes drifting back to their fuming comrade, worried if they should try approaching him or not. Daz broke through their wall and assertively walked over to stand behind Zoro. A heavy hand clasped a shaking shoulder and Zoro looked up at him with haunted eyes. Understanding passed briefly across Daz's face before his stoic mask was replaced and he merely nodded to the shorter man.

"Go home Roronoa, make sure everyone is safe."

Zoro relaxed his guard and readily accepted the sheaths presented to him by Erik, Kohza's right-hand man. No further words were exchanged as Zoro gathered his things and made ready to leave, the business card shove ungratefully into his pocket. His phone began to vibrate and he paused at the doors to pull it out and see who it was. A sigh of relief was released when he read the text from Franky; Kokoro was in stable condition and not in any immediate danger. It looked like they both had dodged death for yet another day.

oOoOoOo

Smoker sat at his desk filling out his requests manually, not completely trusting the system even if the supposed mole had been apprehended. Something was still off and he wasn't about to have things go sour because he let his guard down. He opened the drawer to search for the box of staples and found a photo shoved in the back under miscellaneous pens and markers. Hesitantly, he took hold of one corner and pulled the square free. Smoker looked around the room to make sure he was alone before turning the picture over. It was he and Ace sitting side by side at the annual pancake breakfast the department held every fall. Due to Ace's relation to Garp, they both agreed that their relationship should be kept secret, however, Ace had convinced him that they could go to the event as friends and the tricky raven had somehow kept to his promise. They had almost no physical contact between them, and no sexual innuendos were made the entire day. By the time they made it back to Smoker's house, they were literally tearing each other's clothes off.

It seemed like years since that had happened though less than six months had passed. A few weeks later, Ace had gotten in trouble and spent the night in jail. When Smoker had come down to book a DUI, the look he gave Ace could have withered a mountain. The argument that incurred the instant Ace came home was the last time either had spoke to the other. Words were said without thought and accusations had been made without any grounds. Hina walked in about the time Ace's fist connected with Smoker's jaw and watched in awe as the older man turned and walked away. The tears on Ace's face helped fill in the missing pieces of the story and she hadn't let Smoker forget it since.

"Just call him," a soft voice said behind him. Smoker jumped slightly in his chair and turned to look up at his old friend. Hina reached out and caressed his cheek as she spoke. "Hina thinks he's just as miserable as Smoker."

The detective huffed and ripped the picture in half, tossing both pieces into the trashcan beside his desk. "History is only doomed to repeat itself if you don't learn your lesson the first time. He's one mistake I don't plan to make again."

Hina looked skeptical but held her tongue as she placed a folder on his desk. "Garp needs you to finish your report as soon as possible. He also said to check your e-mail. A strange invoice came in and he needs you to approve it."

With a nod, Smoker turned to login to the computer and see just what the chief needed. He sighed in relief when he heard the click of Hina's heels fade as she walked down the hall to the front entrance. A deep scowl settled on his face when he opened the attachment in question. It was a repair ticket from the electrician that had been sent out to fix the heat at the current safe house. Realizing he had forgotten to get the expense approved, Smoker quickly typed a reply. It never occurred to him that the document contained the exact address which held the key witness to one of the largest cases he had ever been assigned to.


	5. Chapter 5

AN: As promised, another chapter. This almost catches us up to present where i have everything edited. I really hope you guys enjoy. I'm not getting much feedback, so i'm a bit worried i lost a bunch of readers during my absense. I hope not, but it's possible. Either way, I'll keep posting. Fanmail gives me motivation though.

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Leaving it All Behind Chapter 5

Her fingers flew over the keys as she bypassed the security yet again, gaining full access to the mainframe at the downtown precinct. They were still able to gain valuable information regarding other individuals of interest, however, the one person that they were hoping to find continued to eluded them. Apparently the man in charge of guarding Sanji Black was none other than Detective Chase Smoker, unfortunately one of the few who hated using the computer to keep all of his files organized. It would pose a problem in finding out the safe house location if the detective refused to enter it into the database. There were no e-mails between he and any of the others regarding… well, anything. It wasn't that Smoker couldn't use the machine; he just seemed to be refusing to do so. Had he somehow caught on to everything? There was no way. She had been too careful, even framing one of their own inside informants to take the fall. Something was up, and the hacker didn't like it at all. She began to dig deeper into files, searching for anything that might help.

A few more clicks and the blonde paused as a picture of her own face stared back at her. It was the missing person's report that her fiancé had filed ten years ago. A picture of his smiling face brought tears to her normally emotionless eyes, making her blink rapidly to keep them from falling. Why the case was still open, she didn't know, but nevertheless, it worried her. If someone had spotted her during one of her rare outings and had reported it to the police, it could inevitably lead the officials here. She needed to throw them off track quickly. Pulling up recent activity on the case, she hurried to find the name of the detective in charge. Just before she could locate it, the door to the office opened and she quickly closed the file before the man could see what she had been doing.

"Have you found anything yet?" he asked as his eyes glanced over the scattered printouts littering the desk.

"No. I was just trying to see if Detective Smoker had logged anything, but either he knows, or seriously hates computers. He has yet to do anything as of late." The woman made a few more clicks and a separate window popped up, causing her to hold up her hand for the man in the room to stop. "It seems that he made a small oversight."

"Fosh, fosh, fosh! Nice work Cindry. Let's show them how much we appreciate this. Send the message."

oOoOoOo

The earth was shaking. Memories of long ago lingered in the back of his mind and he threw his arms over his face to shield any debris that might fall from the walls due to the earthquake. Laughter accompanied the violent shaking and remembered he hadn't lived in California for many years. Opening his eyes, he saw Luffy grinning down at him from his standing point on the bed.

"Hi Zoro!"

Groaning as he rolled over, Zoro pulled the blanket up over his head and tried to ignore Luffy's prattling about how nice the place looked. Then he remembered that the noisy guy was usually working about now, so why was he here? Luffy fell back onto the bed, bouncing a few times before settling next to the aggravated lump under the blanket. Hoping that Luffy would follow his lineage and pass out from narcolepsy, Zoro closed his eyes and tried to go back to sleep.

"Zoro? I though you said you weren't going to cut your hair until you knew the truth about your parents. Does that mean you found something?"

Zoro stiffened; amazed that Luffy would remember that vow. It had been the only thing to make him hesitate when he picked up the scissors. "No…" Zoro's words were muffled through the thick covers.

"Hm, well we'll just have to keep looking." Luffy's elbow smacked Zoro across the face as he tried to put his arms behind his head. Luffy giggled at the grouchy 'Hey' he received and flopped over to wrap his arms around Zoro's still bundled figure. "Zoooorrrroooo, take me to Franky's to see the Thousand Sunny, OK?"

Zoro pulled the blanket down enough to look at the clock and wanted to kill the guy. It was just past noon and he had only been asleep for roughly three hours, taking forever for sleep to find him after the massive amounts of adrenaline that had been forced through his system the night before. His stomach answered for him though as it growled quietly.

"I'll buy lunch if you buy dinner!" Luffy squeezed him hard, and had it not been for Zoro's rigorous muscle training he was sure that ribs would have snapped. "Pllllleeeaaaasssssseeeee!"

"Fine!" Zoro bellowed as he threw the lanky body off of him and stood up, not caring that he was only in his underwear. He walked down the hall to use the bathroom, fingering the edge of the bandages that he had acquired the night before. He shut the door in Luffy's face as the fool tried to follow him in. Granted Luffy was in his 20's now, but he still acted like he was a child most of the time. It was because of that innocent outlook on life that Zoro found himself drawn to the youngest member of the D family. The reason he hung around Ace was entirely different and usually included lots of alcohol and running from authorities of some kind; be they mall security or the MPs at the Reserve Base just outside the city.

Undoing the gauze, he checked to see if any of the cuts really needed to be re-bandaged. Satisfied that everything seemed to be healing fairly well, Zoro opened the door and stepped to the side allowing Luffy to fall to the floor. Zoro rolled his eyes at Luffy's dramatics and walked around him to gather clean clothes. He could hear Luffy wandering around the apartment, ooh'ing and ahh'ing as he inspected the reformed state of the place. When everything went silent, Zoro decided it was time to see what the idiot was up to.

Luffy was holding a small photo very carefully, knowing the value of such a rare picture and how much it meant to his friend. Three young men on the left were standing together with their arms around each other's shoulders as they laughed at something beyond the sight of the camera. On the right was an older man with an almost maniacal grin on his face. It was younger versions of Zoro and Luffy's fathers along with a teenage Smoker, Garp being the crazy one to the side. Luffy looked up at him and grinned as he gently placed the photo back on the shelf where it had been resting.

"Ready?" Zoro asked.

"Yosh!" Luffy cried out as he attempted to jump over the back of the couch, his toes catching the edge and sending him straight down into the hardwood floor.

oOoOoOo

Lunch consisted of getting thrown out of a pizza joint for eating everything off the buffet and leaving nothing for the other customers. Though they could never return to the restaurant, they did get away somehow without having to pay for the meal. Zoro frowned and questioned if Luffy had planned it that way since it was the brat's turn to pay. Deciding it wasn't worth worrying over, Zoro pulled into the parking lot at Franky's and wondered about the excessive amount of vehicles that seemed to be there. A look to Luffy showed that the younger man was thinking the same thing. Together they entered the noisy shop.

It seemed like everyone associated with the Franky Family had come in to work that day. The twins were trying to handle their paperwork around all the hassle of additional requests, even putting some of the boys to work at answering phones. People were calling in from all over to check on Kokoro, sending heartfelt prayers and offers to help in any way possible. Robin was standing by the desk in the back office, long fingers rubbing at the bridge of her nose as she silently held the phone to her ear, obviously not pleased with what she was hearing. The window view into the bay showed Zambi giving orders to several groups of men working on various projects that Franky had been commissioned for. The shop owner himself was arguing with Paulie and it looked like it was very close to becoming violent. Overall, it was chaos.

As Zoro and Luffy closed in on the arguing pair, Paulie threw his hands up in the air and stormed off, shouting that he put up with enough bitching at home. Franky turned around to vent his anger out and caught sight of the two approaching, relief washing over his face as he visibly relaxed.

"Zoro! Luffy! Awesome that you came! I was hoping that I'd see you today."

"Hey, can I go look at Sunny?" Luffy wasted no time in asking as he tried to control his excitement while waiting for the answer.

"Sure, that'd be super! Go on. I need to talk to Zoro anyway." Franky patted the younger guy on the back and laughed as Luffy bounded off towards the ship. He waited until Luffy was past the plastic curtain before speaking again. His words were forced as his whole body slumped in defeat. "This ain't cool, bro. I dropped Chimney off at school this morning and went to see Mama. She told me about what the doctors said."

Zoro grunted and crossed his arms over his chest as he stood by his friend, watching the rest of the 'family' work on vehicles. "I thought Auntie already told you or I would have said something. Do you know if there's anything that can be done?"

Franky shook his head and ran a hand through his hair, trying to get it to perk back up the way it usually did. Seeing that it wasn't working, he gave up and looked Zoro square in the eyes. "She's seen the best of them, and nothing has changed. She says she's ready, and there's nothing left here for her to do."

Zoro clasped him on the shoulder, about as much of an affectionate gesture that one could ever hope from the swordsman. Pulling themselves together, and out of the odd melancholy moment, they started walking back to the offices where Robin was waiting for them.

"You know, on top of finding that out, she tells me she's leaving Chimney with Robin and me."

Zoro couldn't help himself and let a small huff of laughter escape. "She offered the brat to me."

This caught Franky off guard and it took a few seconds for the idea to process before the mechanic threw his head back and began laughing loudly. He caught Zoro's irritated look and it only increased the hilarity of the situation and soon Franky had to wipe the tears from his eyes, he was laughing so hard.

"Laugh all you want to, asshole, you're the one who gets to deal with her crawling into bed with you at _all_ hours of the night. I guess this means the honeymoon is over." Zoro's smirk grew when the meaning finally sank in and Franky's face dropped.

Zoro looked to see Robin's concerned, yet somewhat amused face peering out at them from the window. He was about to gesture that everything was ok when he saw a small blonde head pop up beside her. Chimeny's sad face lit up as soon as she saw him and the little girl began waving wildly as she tugged on Robin's sleeve. Absalom's words came back to haunt him again and a shiver, that had nothing to do with the outside cold, ran down his spine.

"Franky," Zoro's tone immediately had the larger man's attention and Franky drew himself back up to stand tall. What he was about to say would either gain him support or a severe beating, so Zoro proceeded carefully. "A week or so ago I went to the cages and apparently caught the eye of someone rather nasty. They called and offered me a job, which I refused, and since have threatened to find an incentive to get me to change my mind."

"Whoa… That's super intense." Franky followed Zoro's eyes and looked up to see Robin ushering Chimney away from the window. "You don't think…"

Zoro shook his head and turned back to his blue haired friend. "I don't want to take any chances. Keep your eyes open."

"She's not the only one you should be worried about," Franky said as he looked back to where his masterpiece was sitting, enclosed in a protected room, though the thing that could do the most damage happened to be in there with it at the moment. Occasional whoops of glee could be heard from Luffy as he inspected the progress on his new vessel.

"Luffy's fine. His best friend is in the police force, as well as his grandfather. I don't think that anyone will mess with him. Besides, you've seen him fight. He can kick ass with the best of us." Zoro's confidence in Luffy echoed in every word, reminding Franky that their childish friend was capable of taking care of himself.

"Guys, guys! Guess what?!" Luffy shouted as he raced back over to them, not sensing that anything was amiss. "Ace just called! He's back in town and wants us to go pick him up. Can we Zoro? And then maybe we can go get Usopp too and go out to eat!"

Between Usopp being called out a lot for work lately and Ace's always busy schedule, Luffy hadn't had anyone to keep him entertained. Zoro agreed that maybe it wouldn't be a bad idea to talk with his friend. Perhaps Ace would even have some insight into the strange things going on.

"We'll get Ace, and you can call Usopp, but no dinner until at least seven, got it? We just had lunch a little while ago," Zoro argued, hoping that they could at least hold off the starving monster until six. Ace would be another matter.

oOoOoOo

Ace closed his phone and grinned, happy to hear his brother's voice again after nearly a month. This last job had taken him all the way to Key West; not that he was complaining that he had to spend three weeks in the sun, but he had missed everyone greatly. Ace leaned up against the wall at the bus station and pulled his hat off to reach for the picture he kept stashed inside. A sad smile crossed his face as he gently caressed the fading surface and tattered edges. He really should get it laminated, but then there'd be something else blocking his way from touching that stoic face.

Ace wondered how Smoker had been doing since they had parted ways. It hadn't been easy on either of them; cruel words opening wounds that he wasn't sure could ever heal. He closed his eyes and held the photo against his chest, longing for the feel of his former lover instead of the bitter cold wind. Those days would never be again, no matter how hard he wished; the two of them on different sides of the law. Ace laughed as he thought about Romeo and Juliet, wondering if the two could have worked out their differences instead of dying. Opening his eyes, Ace stared out across the street and wondered how long it would take for his friend to get there. Ace tucked the picture back in his hat and sat the gaudy looking thing back on his head. Maybe he could take a nap.

A dark blue sedan turned the corner and Ace swore his heart stopped. Wide, shocked eyes met with narrowed angry ones as Smoker stared out the driver's window at him. Ace pushed off the wall and stepped out of the shadows as his heart started racing again; desperately wanting call out yet knowing that the action would be pointless. The detective had warned Ace to never speak to him again and the look on Smoker's face had Ace thinking that he hadn't changed his mind. Tashigi looked back and forth between them as Smoker's eyes returned to the road and the vehicle picked up speed as they drove past. Ace stared after them, long after they disappeared from his sight.

He woke with a start and looked around, his watch showing that only an hour has passed since he had place a call to Luffy. He had somehow ended up sitting on the sidewalk, resting against the wall he had previously been leaning against before. _Before Smoker had shown up_… Ace rubbed his face to help rid the remnants of sleep and pushed the thoughts of the man to the back of his mind as he heard the loud rumbling of Zoro's GTO coming around the corner. He fixed a smile on his face and laughed at Luffy hanging out the window waving to him. Ace grabbed his bag and stood, returning the greeting to his little brother and waited for Zoro to pull up alongside of him.

"Yo, Zoro, Luffy!"

"Ace!" Luffy grinned up at him as he held onto his own precious hat.

"You guys took your time getting here," Ace chided as he opened the door and shoved Luffy over the seat into the back so he could ride shotgun.

"I had some business to take care of over at Franky's," Zoro said as he waited for Ace to toss his bag in back with his brother. Zoro's face was somber as he shook hands with his long time friend. "Kokoro's in the hospital."

Ace knew how important the old woman was to Zoro and clapped him on the shoulder as they just nodded to each other, no further words needed on the subject. It was then that Ace realized that Zoro's usual ponytail wasn't sticking out from under his knit cap. "Hey, what happened to your hair?"

Zoro swatted him away when Ace started playing with the short hair on the back of his neck. Luffy popped up between them and laughed. "He's pretending to be a normal guy now. He cleaned his apartment and everything!"

Ace's jaw dropped as he just stared at Zoro. "No shit?"

"Yup! And he even opened the spare bedroom up. Almost all the boxes are gone and he even put sheets on the spare bed. You think that maybe he's expecting someone to come over?" Luffy folded his arms over the back seat and rested his chin on his hands.

"So what else have I missed?" Ace asked, wonder still covering his face.

Zoro laughed as he thought about all that had occurred in just the last week alone. He shook his head and decided that maybe they should go somewhere comfortable to talk. Keeping Luffy entertained was the biggest key, so he headed to The Arena, intent on letting the youngest of them play laser tag to his heart's content. "Not much, just another asshole trying to play god."

oOoOoOo

Sanji stood in the kitchen frowning at the less than desirable accommodations, but happy that he had been allowed to cook instead of being forced to stomach whatever the men decided to pick up that night. The long nose guy brought two grocery bags full of assorted meats, vegetables, and a few spices. It wasn't much to work with but he'd had less before. The cook rolled up his shirt sleeves and began to wash all the dishes before he used them, not trusting what might have touched them since they had last been put away. Feeling better than he had in months, Sanji felt life finally begin to filter back into his drained body.

The blonde moved with precision and grace as he wielded the familiar knives, never showing that he was off in his rhythm but mentally yelling at himself for not keeping up with his skills. This was his livelihood, his passion and he had tossed it aside when he found out there was a price on his head. If he continued like this, that old geezer would never let him return to work when this was all done. Sanji chopped at the green peppers a little more venomously, determined to get things right by the end of the night. It didn't take long for the house to fill with the delicious aromas of beef, vegetables and biscuits. Usopp and the other two men stood in the doorway drooling as they watched skilled hands prepare the most elaborate meal that any of them had ever eaten. None of them heard the faint ringtone of Sanji's cell in the back bedroom as they scrambled to set the table.

Sanji stood by the sink smoking a cigarette as he watched the men devour every scrap of food in sight. When done, Usopp walked over and placed his plate in the sink, profusely thanking Sanji over and over. Everyone froze when they heard the neighbor's dog's barking end in a high pitched yelp. Immediately, all three policemen withdrew their guns and Usopp ushered the concerned blonde into the back room.

"Sanji, get down and stay quiet. We'll handle things, don't worry," Usopp tried to reassure.

With the way the last few places had been, Sanji couldn't help but doubt him. "I'm not as helpless as that fucking detective makes me out to be. I can fight. Besides, usually I get a call that there is an attack coming. I haven't heard my phone ring all night… shit." Sanji patted his pockets and realized that said phone wasn't with him. He scrambled to look for it, finding the elusive thing under his sweatshirt on the bed. 34 missed calls. 29 voicemails. 17 texts. Almost all of them from the caller labeled INFO. "Usopp, I think we'd better run."

"Sorry, I don't think we're going to have that choice this time. There's at least fifty guys out there right now. I could probably take down forty or so myself, but I'm not sure if the guys out front could handle the rest." Usopp had taken the rifle that had been slung across his back and was peeking out the blinds of the only window in the room. His voice wavered a little as he continued to speak, "Don't worry; I'll make sure you get out of here alive."

Fed up with life, Sanji yanked him away from the window and looked outside himself. He could make out two shapes in the yard, though there was no way to tell if they were carrying a weapon or not. The shaking hand on his shoulder made him jump and he looked into Usopp's determined face. Sanji nodded to him and took a step back. That's when there was a knock at the front door. Curiosity getting the better of him, Sanji cracked open the bedroom door and peeked out. He could see both officers flanking the door and giving hand signals to each other.

"Who is it?" one of them called out. The answer was muffled at his end of the house, but Sanji could distinguish it was a woman's voice and immediately began to relax. "Look girl, I'm sorry but now's not a good time. Go check with the guy across the street."

Usopp and Sanji smiled at each other, happy to see that this time it was just a normal visitor instead of a messenger of death. Then the front door exploded and a barrage of bullets came flying in. Pissed now and thinking that someone had used a woman as a lure to get close to the house, Sanji used the cover of the smoke from the blast to creep towards the front and check on his other two guards, and the woman if he could find her. A heavy fist came straight at his face and he had to fall backwards to avoid the blow. Three men surrounded him and he scowled deeply at the sight of a pretty girl standing by the door, still somewhat shadowed by the settling haze. Throwing caution to the wind, Sanji decided it was time to stop running.

The blonde crouched and spun swiftly to the left, his long leg sweeping out with the motion and knocking two of the assailants off their feet. The third man stood back and waited as the men regained their feet and attacked. Sanji planted his heavy sole into the underside of the first man's jaw, sending him flying up in the air slightly and quickly followed with a roundhouse to the gut. Blood was coughed up and the unfortunate victim went down hard. Sanji smiled as he caught the next attack with his shin, surprise evident on the assailant's face since the punch was aimed at Sanji's head. Using the momentum of bringing his leg up to block, Sanji grabbed the shocked man's hair and slammed his knee into the gaping face, shattering the man's nose and knocking him out. He could hear the woman screaming behind him, though unable to make out her words, and it pissed him off that he still had one more man to deal with before he could rescue the beautiful maiden. Unfortunately, the last one was proving a bit more troublesome due to the simple fact that he was huge!

Precise punches were thrown, forcing Sanji back as he tried to evade, knowing that if any of the giant's blows actually touched him he was done for. He tried several times to land a hit of his own, but was blocked by a shoulder, forearm or well executed dodge. Suddenly there was something hard pressed to the back of his head and Sanji stilled when he heard the click of the hammer on the gun.

"I don't think I like you anymore."

The cute feminine voice had Sanji wanting to turn and lavish the woman with attention as he would normally do, but the anger in it, combined with the gun still at his head, was enough to remind him that he was in a tight predicament.

"You're a lot cuter than the last man I was sent to deal with, but then again I wasn't given any authorization to hurt him, horo-horo-horo-horo-horo! You I am supposed to kill, just as soon as you tell me what you did with the evidence." The girl stepped up behind him and was speaking softly into his ear as she trailed her free hand up and down the bare skin of his forearm. "Do it quickly and maybe I'll give you the same courtesy."

Sanji scowled hard at the masked man across from him and wondered just how he was supposed to get out of this. If nothing else, he could stall for time, and hopefully that kid, Usopp, had made a call to the station and requested backup. "It doesn't seem like you're giving me much of an incentive to give in. Either way you'll kill me. I have nothing to gain from handing it over to you."

"Oh of course you do, horo-horo-horo-horo-horo. You can die peacefully rather than be tortured for hours on end, even days or weeks." She seemed pleased when a shiver ran through Sanji's body. The barrel of the gun moved to caress the side of his neck. "If I were you, I'd just give up. You have nothing to live for anyway. Your parents are long dead, you have no other relatives, women usually giggle when asked about you, and that creepy old man you were working for does nothing but threaten to kill you himself if your name is even whispered."

Sanji didn't have time to respond before the girl flew back screaming and the gun in her hand went off, the bullet embedding into the ceiling. Sanji watched in shock as the large man in front of him also dropped to the floor, blood pouring from the gaping hole in his head. A knife, bigger than most of the cook's own cutlery, fell from his hand as dead eyes stared into nothingness. Sanji spun around to check on the woman only to see Usopp standing there with his sniper rifle pointed at the girl's chest.

"You have the right to remain silent…" Usopp's words droned on as Sanji realized how close he had come to not making it out this time. He ripped off his shirt and bent down to help press it against the bullet wound in the girl's shoulder when he was knocked to the side by three other uniformed officers.

"You really are a dumb shit, aren't you?" a gravelly voice barked out. Sanji spun around to face Smoker who looked slightly more pissed than normal, if that were possible. "You should try answering your phone once in a while."

The two guards that had been knocked down by the blast were being helped up by paramedics, their torn shirts revealing bulletproof vests beneath. The two unconscious attackers were loaded onto stretchers while the cute girl with pink pigtails and a pleasingly short skirt was handcuffed and lead away to have her injuries looked at. She looked at the dead man on the floor and began crying again. Outside the door, Sanji could see several vehicles and many more men in cuffs.

"You knew I would be attacked." The blonde couldn't believe it. He had been so worried that he would be responsible for yet more deaths and the man in charge of his safety had let another attack go down.

"And if you had answered your phone, you would have known as well. I have to admit that I didn't expect it to happen this soon though. Good thing that second team got here in time." Smoker pulled out a cigar and stuck the thick dark roll between his teeth. After a moment's thought, he pulled out a second one and offered it to the blonde.

Sanji was still trying to process information, unsure just how pissed he really should be. Part of him wanted to lash out at the detective and tell him how irresponsible he had been, but the man had already pointed out that he did in fact try to inform him of the possible threat. When the cigar had been practically shoved in his face, he took it gratefully and took the liberty to offer the older man a light before bringing the match to his own. The taste was richer, and definitely more potent than his normal cigarettes, but Sanji welcomed it and let the rush of nicotine help to calm him.

Smoker walked around, barking out orders and threats if the orders weren't carried out immediately, as he surveyed the damage done. There was no way to know if this was the person who had done the last attack until ballistics came back on the gun. He had taken a big chance when he finally realized the major blunder in replying to the e-mail Garp had sent. Hoping to turn it into an advantage, he added another group across the street under the guise of homeless men breaking into an abandoned home to keep warm. Apparently the ruse worked, because the men that were left outside were taken down easily while that pink haired twit and her oversized friend went after the witness. The detective looked over to see the long-nosed sniper retelling his story, embellishing it even further with each person who would listen. Though the young man tended to spin tales, Smoker had to admit that he had proved his worth today. Maybe he'd put in a good word for him with SWAT. Sighing heavily, and lighting his second cigar since he'd gotten to the scene, Smoker walked back over to where Sanji and Usopp were chatting.

"Sunny," he started.

"I'm not your fucking son, and you already know my damn name, so use it," Sanji snapped at him and glared at the men who had been guarding him when they began laughing. "Fuck you too."

Never one to pass up an opportunity to belittle someone, Smoker huffed, "'Sun,' as in the big yellow thing in the sky, not 'son' like a child, though the second one does seem to fit you better."

Apparently not in the mood, the blonde jumped up from his seat on the kitchen counter to begin yelling at the larger man. Smoker cut him off by slapping a large hand over his face and mouth, amused at the furious blue eye that glared out at him from between splayed fingers.

"Just go gather your things, Mr. Black. Since I can't seem to trust you in any police issued safe house, I'm resorting to something a bit different." Smoker turned to look at the nervous marksman. "Nice work. Take the rest of the evening off; just make sure that you have your report ready first thing in the morning."

Usopp nodded nervously to him and waved goodbye to Sanji as he ran out the door, quickly dialing on his cell phone as he went. "Hey guys! Yah, I'm sorry I had to bail, but are you guys still there? Oh, ok, great! I'll meet you guys. No, everything is good, I just finished up early. OK, I'll be there in about fifteen minutes. Tell …"

Sanji listened to Usopp's voice fade into the noise of the crowd, angrily waiting for his face to be released. When it finally was, he didn't get the opportunity to lash out like he had wanted before Smoker was gone, dealing with questions from his men. Exhaustion started to inch its way into the cook's body as he debated if he really wanted to continue to go through all of this. He could just give up the box and be rid of this nightmare. But the girl tonight said she was ordered to kill him after she got it; in other words, he would never be truly free. The only way for him to even begin to think about returning to a normal life was to see this mess to the end. Tired, stressed, and generally pissed, Sanji walked solemnly back to the room he had been sleeping in and retrieved his things.

Smoker motioned Sanji over to where he was talking to a colleague. "I know the risk, but what else would you have me do? I'm out of options. He can't stay with me because that would raise too many questions and sooner or later someone at the precinct would blab. I can't keep an eye on him 24/7 and I need somewhere he can be safe."

"Hina knows, but does Smoker have to put the pretty cook there? Is it wise?" Hina crossed her arms over her chest and narrowed here eyes at her old friend. She was about to argue further when Smoker put up a hand to stop her.

"You know, I didn't have to even tell you this. I did it as a courtesy because we're friends."

Sanji stood there watching them glare at each other and wondered if maybe there was underlying sexual tension between the two. They did seem awfully close. His mind shut off the thoughts as the beautiful older woman turned to greet him.

"Hina has heard much about Mr. Sanji Black."

"Ah, but unfortunately I have heard nothing about the beautiful Hina. Would you care to join me for the evening so I could remedy this tragic oversight?" Sanji took her hand and gently kissed the pale skin above her knuckles. "I assure you that it will be a night of pleasure for both of us."

Hina blushed deeply and jerked her hand back before slapping him… hard. Sanji fell to his knees and watched after her longingly as she stormed off towards her car. Smoker's light chuckling brought him out of his daze and he remembered that he was extremely pissed at the older man. He got to his feet and dusted off his warn jeans, longing for the feel of Versace against his skin again. A small duffle bag held what little clothing and personal items he had, usually losing what he had been previously given when he had to run for his life.

"Just what the fuck is going on? I'm really sick of being shuffled around, only to be found and shot at."

Smoker didn't answer; he just grabbed Sanji by the arm and shoved him towards the unmarked patrol car. Grudgingly, Sanji opened the door and got in, stubbornly refusing to buckle up.

"I'm taking you somewhere off the books, with no one remotely connected to the police department watching over you. You will not tell ANYONE who you really are, and you will not break cover. I don't care what kind of story you two come up with, but it'd better be a solid one. Hell, you can pretend to be lovers if you want, though he'll probably kill you for suggesting it." Smoker halfway grinned around his cigar and started the car. "I don't give a rat's ass if you two don't get along. You'll be staying with him until trial. As long as you two don't break cover, you should be able to stay alive."

"Wait! You're putting me with some random guy, against my will, who doesn't even work for the police. How am I supposed to trust that he'll be able to protect himself if they DO happen to find us? I just proved that I can defend myself, but I can't be responsible for some pansy assed fucker who doesn't know what the fuck is going on." Sanji swore that the grin widened, but the detective kept driving and soon the lights from the scene were far behind them. Still not happy about being kept in the dark, Sanji decided to pry a little more. "How do you know you can trust this guy? If he doesn't work for the police, then just who is he, a brother or something?"

"I don't even trust Garp right now, since he's the one who got us in this mess tonight. But the guy you're going to stay with is as close as it gets." Smoker lost his grin and his lips turned down into a stern frown, refusing to say anything else.

Sanji slouched in his seat indignantly, and hoped that even if the other guy didn't like him, they could at least survive together long enough for him to make it to trial. "So has he already agreed to all this?"

"More or less."


	6. Chapter 6

AN: OK... a bit later than i had planned, but still I'm giving you several chapters in a row rather than only one a week, right? OK. enjoy everyone! next chapter is huge!!!

TY to all my lovely reviewers. I hope I was able to reply to each and every one of you (as long as you left me a way to do so ;) ). You guys make my days brighter with your words of praise and encouragement. TY TY TY TY!!!

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Leaving It All Behind Chapter 6

By the time he had arrived to the designated location, it was already too late. The men in the back and front had been taken down and were being put in cuffs as sharpshooters positioned themselves to take out the last of the assassin's group inside the house. Fighting could be heard, though the haze from blasting the door was still hindering everyone's vision. Perona must have thrown a smoke bomb into the mix when she set up the charges. Absalom looked through the gathering of SWAT and special unit officers, his narrowed glare settling on the large figure of the lead officer on the scene. Detective Smoker was semi hidden behind an assault vehicle disguised as an electrician's truck.

Absalom snapped his head back to look at the house when he heard Perona's scream. He was about to move in when enough of the smoke cleared for him to see clearly through the front door. The pink-haired girl was laying on the ground clutching her shoulder, blood pouring from between her fingers, as a police officer held a rifle to her chest. Unfortunately he couldn't see the man's face from this angle, but he could finally see the shocked look on the blonde that was standing beside them. Paramedics arrived on scene and teams were sent out to search the neighborhood for straggling members of the group. After a final glance to where his partner lay on the floor, Absalom decided it was time he retreated for the moment, and hoped that his master would understand. The insane quack that was pretending to be in charge was of no concern, but Absalom knew he'd have to listen to the man bitch and whine anyway.

Dropping out of the tree where he'd been watching, the catlike man slipped his phone out of his pocket and pressed the numbers quickly. He waited for the phone to be picked up on the other end and relayed the less than pleasant news.

"The mission was a total loss. We warned you that she wasn't able to handle this. You shouldn't have sent a child to do our job."

"_You'll get your chance soon enough as long as you are not caught as well," _the voice on the other end reprimanded. _"Could you at least confirm that we are dealing with the right witness this time?"_

"Yes, and as thought, he is under that Smoker's care. Should we follow them?" Absalom started up the engine on his Porsche as he waited for the answer.

"_No, I have another job for you. I have a feeling that the old man was lying to us about knowing where the box is. Why don't you see if you can have a private chat with him."_

"Of course Dr. Hogback." Absalom put the car into drive and pulled away from the curb. A sinister smile spread across his feline face as he remembered the last encounter he'd had with the difficult man. "It will be our pleasure."

-/-/-/-/-

Hogback hung up the phone and frowned, extremely displeased with the way his plans were falling apart. First the attempt to get the information by force blew up, literally, and then no one seemed to be able to decode what he had finally gotten his hands on. When Cindry came along, it was a miracle, but then the data had been stolen right beneath his nose and handed over to that slippery blonde cook. The cook had seen him with several key people in this endeavor and even witnessed the incident where Hogback had first obtained the hard drive. Should the blonde be allowed to live to testify, everything he had worked for over the past five years would be for naught. Getting the key to this software was crucial, and if he failed it would be years before anyone would be able to come close to this kind of breakthrough in AI.

A hidden switch within one of the desk drawers was flipped and a secret door hissed open, revealing the centerpiece of his research. What was possibly once a beautiful woman lay curled into a ball in the middle of a hospital bed, her head shaved and littered with adhesive electrode pads. He smiled down at the still figure and caressed her arm gently. The smile bled into a sinister grin as he watched her shiver in revulsion at his touch.

"How are you today, my dear? Fosh, fosh, fosh! It looks like we will have to try and dig into your mind again soon. Those useless idiots have lost our lead once more. If Mr. Black would only return what I rightfully took then we could end all of this and you could die." Hogback shook his head and began turning on equipment, ignoring the weak pleas from the helpless woman. True his methods were unorthodox, but the woman was supposed to be dead anyway, so what did he care if she didn't survive the process. Since she refused to cooperate, experimenting with trying to extract information seemed like the only way he would gain the knowledge he needed to further his research.

Only two other people knew she was even in the facility, and both were under the assumption that the woman was comatose and wasn't likely to recover any time soon. Keeping up the fascade was difficult, but if either of them suspected the truth, Hogback knew the consequence would be death. This level of conspiracy went well and above what the Master was willing to forgive.

The insane doctor withdrew a syringe from his coat pocket and approached the woman cautiously. Too many times she had pretended to be lethargic only to attack him and cause damage. To be honest, the whole thing was starting to get on his nerves. The few successful attempts to extract anything had only brought forth useless babble about a playmate for her child; someone called Chopper. Hogback had just finished straightening her now lax body out on the bed when the hidden door opened again and someone slipped into the room.

The tall man walked cautiously over to the bed and looked down at the woman, a hint of concern breaking through his normally stoic mask. "She looks a little pale today,"

"I agree, Ryu. I'll check her blood levels when I'm done trying to stimulate her brain back into activity," Dr. Hogback noted; the lie slipping off his tongue with ease. "You know you were to report to Moria the moment you returned."

The man's shoulders stiffened at the name of the head boss, but he nodded in understanding and turned quickly to comply. Hogback began humming to himself as he finished connecting all the wires, anxious to get today's testing underway.

-/-/-/-/-/-

Luffy had been running non-stop for almost two hours now and Zoro knew that even the ever-energetic young man would eventually run out of energy and he would have to wrap up this conversation quickly. Zoro laced his fingers behind his head as he leaned back in his seat, grinning smugly as he finished telling Ace what he had been up to lately. It wasn't often that he was able to shock the raven and was thoroughly enjoying the amazed look on Ace's face. The part about the case had been left out temporarily, since he knew that Ace was still having a hard time dealing with things relating to the police, but he had told Ace everything about the cage fights, phone calls, and threats. He even filled him in on the situation with Kokoro and her granddaughter. The part that Ace was having the most difficulties accepting was the change in Zoro personally though the green-haired man refused to elaborate anymore on that subject. Knowing that time was running out, Zoro quickly replaced his grin with a more serious look and leaned forward to brace his forearms on the table between them.

"There's more."

Ace understood the tone, shifted in his own seat and removed his hat, laying it carefully in front of him.

"I was given another assignment. I need you to tell me what you know about a faction that hires out to eliminate key witnesses on major cases." Zoro's voice was low, but carried easily over to the now alert man across from him. Ace was one of the few that knew where Zoro's jobs came from and what they usually entailed.

"Hm. Nothing rings a bell, but then again, I've been gone for a few weeks. Do you think it's related to the guys that are trying to scout you?" Ace's forehead wrinkled in concern.

"I'm hoping so. The assassins are effective, but messy so we're pretty sure they're not professionals. If this guy that's been pissing me of is their leader, all the better, because I plan on killing him anyway for all the shit he's put me through the last few days," Zoro grumbled.

"I'll see if Pops knows anything that he's willing to share," Ace offered and grinned as Zoro nodded his thanks and relaxed a little.

They could hear Luffy's protests to the attendant that his time _couldn't_ be up yet because they just got there. They both sat back and watched the young girl plead with him for a few minutes before threatening to ban him from the establishment forever if he didn't hand over his vest and gun. Very unhappily, Luffy gave her his gear and trudged over to the two at the table.

"I wish Usopp didn't have to work so much. It's not as much fun when he doesn't come play with me," Luffy pouted and fell into an empty chair, recalling the earlier phone call with the long nosed boy. "Can we go eat now? I'm starving."

Zoro and Ace laughed and nodded as they grabbed their hats and coats, each of them putting an arm over Luffy's shoulders and consoling him as they walked out. Luffy's phone rang and the young man reluctantly pulled it out.

"Yah. Usopp!! Hey! We're just leaving the Arena to go get something to eat at Makino's place, why? Join us? Did something happen at your job? Awesome! Yah, I'll tell them. We'll see you there." Luffy hadn't even disconnected the call before he was jumping up and down.

Checking his wallet to make sure he had grabbed enough money, Zoro sighed and prepared himself for a long evening. Ace saw his slumped shoulders and nudged him with an elbow.

"It's not like you have somewhere better to be, right?" Ace joked.

"Who says I don't have some hot blonde back at my apartment waiting for me to come home," Zoro shot back. Unable to keep up the angry glare, they both started laughing and quickly ran after Luffy who was trying to open the door to the car despite it being locked.

oOoOoOo

Smoker rifled through the keys in his glove box for the spare set to Zoro's apartment. The GTO wasn't in its normal place so he knew his god-son wouldn't be home to let them in. He frowned for a moment when he pulled out a silver keychain with "justice" written on it. How many times in one day would he be reminded of things he couldn't have? Tossing the keys aside, he ignored the blonde he was leaning partially over and continued his search. Finally the set with a Zoro's name on the tag was produced and he slammed the door shut on the glove box. He didn't notice the blonde picking the abandoned keychain up and studying it curiously before putting it in his own pocket.

"Let's go, Sunny."

"Fuck you, old man." Sanji returned Smoker's glare and watched the detective step out of the car, quickly following since he had no idea where they were going. At least the place seemed nice enough; fairly new building with a great view of the park across the street. He wondered again about the man Smoker was sending him to stay with. "So when are you going to tell me about my new keeper?"

Smoker remained silent as they walked in, headed for the elevators and pushed the call button. Sanji hefted his bag on his shoulder to a more comfortable position and scowled, trying to imagine the strange neurotic person he might be getting thrown in with. Would it be some ex-con with tattoos, scars and earrings? Or maybe a reformed hitman that had joined the force as an informant. Sanji shook his head to get the images out of his mind, remembering that the detective had told him that the person wasn't connected to the police. Whoever it was, apparently Smoker had a feeling that they would possibly clash but felt confident enough in the man's abilities to put Sanji in his care. Maybe it was one of Smoker's old military buddies or something. He didn't have any more time to contemplate it as the lift door opened and he followed Smoker out.

"Detective, how are you this evening?" An elderly woman stepped out of an apartment at the end of the hall.

"Fine," Smoker answered briskly to the old doctor, not wanting to engage Kureha in any further conversation.

Sanji smiled politely to her as they passed, a disturbing feeling crawling over his skin as she studied him intently. He almost ran into Smoker's back, not paying attention to the fact that the man had stopped and was currently trying to unlock one of the doors. It took a few tries before the knob turned and they entered the apartment.

"Be careful where you step, his place isn't the…" Smoker trailed off as he flicked on the lights and stared at the vastly different interior of Zoro's home. He was about to turn around and make sure he had the right place when he caught sight of the picture hanging on the wall.

"Detective?" Sanji asked, a little confused as to why he should be careful in a place like this. The apartment was nice, even a bit stylish. A comfortable couch with matching sidechair, a widescreen TV, and heavily filled bookcases made the place feel lived in without being over cluttered with unnecessary things. He noticed the picture that had caught Smoker's eye and wondered who the people were. "Is that the guy I'll be staying with?"

Smoker shook his head and pulled himself out of old memories. "No. He's gone. This is his son's place."

"The little kid in the picture? You're leaving me with a kid?" Sanji wasn't pleased.

"That picture is over a decade old. He's as old as you are now." Smoker closed the door behind Sanji and continued into the apartment, silently taking in the overwhelming change in cleanliness that had occurred sometime in the last week. He would have to talk to Zoro about it later, but for now, he needed to get his witness settled and find out where the missing tenant was. If the brat was out getting sliced up, he'd need to make sure to be presentable before he met up with Mr. Black. No matter how he looked at it, a major argument was sure to ensue. He needed to talk to Zoro first and get some things settled before the two were introduced. Smoker stuck his hand into his pocket and fingered the bottle of sleeping pills he had been prescribed.

"Go get cleaned up and I'll see if I can find some tea. I could use a cup right about now." Smoker headed for the kitchen, again amazed at the organized state of the place.

Sanji nodded, too frustrated to care anymore and coming to the decision that if he wasn't able to get along with this man he'd just have to see about surviving on his own for the next few weeks. This whole fiasco was out of control and all he wanted was for it to end so he could go home. He found the bathroom just down the hall and instantly fell in love. The shower called to him and he dropped his bag on the floor so he could start peeling of his ratty clothes. The instant the hot water hit him from both sides he could feel his muscles begin to relax and he no longer cared who it was that lived here. He would put up with a dozen copies of his father if it meant that he could enjoy this luxury every day again. It was the closest he had felt to being home since he was thrown into that squad car months ago. Sanji took his time finishing, and wondered if this new host would have some clothes for him to borrow.

Wearing only a pair of simple cotton boxers, Sanji neatly hung the towel back up on the rack and headed out to find the bedroom, and therein, clothes. He could smell the delicious blend of jasmine green tea coming from the kitchen and made a detour in his plans to acquire a cup first. Sanji didn't think anything of it when he walked, mostly naked, into the kitchen and picked up the cup that he assumed had been poured for him since Smoker was already sipping his own. The taste was bitter, and very welcome as the warmth spread through Sanji's body, relaxing him further until he felt the need to sit down. The blonde took his tea to the couch and sat back, enjoying the cool feel of leather against his bare skin. He began nodding off and soon the cup fell from his fingers to the floor as his chin dropped to his chest.

Smoker continued to sip his tea, a small turn of his lips the only indicator that he had anything to do with how fast Sanji had become unconscious. When his cup was empty, he set it next to the sink and picked up the sleeping man, carrying him back to the master bedroom and depositing him in the large bed. Smoker took the time to look around the room and again wondered what prompted the change. He picked up the small picture on the nightstand and smiled sadly. It was of Sarah when she had gone to Japan right after graduating. Not long after that she met Zoro's father and they immediately fell in love, getting married a short month later. That was twenty-five years ago and the last time he remembered seeing it, the picture had been on sitting on the mantle in the former Roronoa estate.

The picture of Sarah, the family portrait he saw when they first entered, the tea set; these were all things that he thought had been lost or forgotten after the funeral. Smoker took a deep breath and opened the door to the spare bedroom. He had been the one to change out the knob to a locking one at Zoro's request, so it somewhat surprised him when the door opened easily and revealed a nearly empty room. The only things left aside from the basic furniture, were Sarah's computer equipment and two lonely boxes in the corner.

"So he finally decided to face the facts," Smoker sighed, knowing that he himself had troubles accepting that his best friend wasn't returning. Closing the door softly, Smoker decided to see what else his god-son had dug up and headed for the living room again.

oOoOoOo

"I told you I can't discuss work right now, Luffy. I'm sorry," Usopp apologized for the hundredth time that night.

"I know, but you were so freaked out when you got here so I thought something bad had happened. If something bad happened you'd let us know, right?" Luffy's eyes were wide with worry as he studied Usopp's face.

Usopp hung his head and frowned as he tried to figure out how to explain his earlier unease to his friends. He couldn't just come out and tell them that he was upset because he had just shot two people, one in the middle of the forehead. He also couldn't tell them that the reason he was working so many hours was because he had been put in charge of guarding a high profile witness on a major case. So just what _could_ he tell them?

"Well, you see, there was a break-in at the zoo and all of the animals were let loose. I of course was called on because I'm the last remaining descendant of beast masters and they needed my expertise in recapturing all the creatures," he began. "There were a dozen tigers that had me surrounded, but I was able take each one of them down with a slingshot, knocking them unconscious. Only one bear gave me any problems, but as you can see, the mighty Usopp prevailed and conquered each and every one of the wild beasts before any backup could arrive."

Ace had made the mistake of trying to take a drink during the story and ended up snorting soda out his nose when he began laughing. This in turn made his eyes water due to the burning of carbonation in his nostrils and all Zoro could do was fall onto the floor as he laughed. Ace tossed the pepper shaker at him, getting the black powder all over the green-haired man's face and in turn made him start sneezing forcefully. Luffy thought it was a game and decided that he needed something in his nose too, so he stuck a straw in each side and began making faces at the kids in the booth next to them. Usopp by now had gotten a tablecloth from one of the unoccupied tables, tied it on so he could pretend it was a cape, and was standing in his chair singing about the king of snipers.

Makino came out from the back and smacked each of them atop the head with a serving tray. "If you boys don't straighten up I'll call your grandfather to come down here and take care of you."

They all four began apologizing for their behavior and straightening up the messes they had made, though they couldn't keep from snickering occasionally. After watching Makino make her rounds around the dining room, apologizing to customers and whatnot, Zoro stood and stretched his body out, grimacing slightly when he felt the pull of one of the wounds he had received from Daz. It was time to call it a night.

"I'm outta here. I've got places to be early in the morning," he told them as he slipped on his coat.

"Yah, and that blonde's waiting for you too, right?" Ace teased and laughed at the bewildered look on Zoro's face. Apparently it took a moment for him to remember what he had said earlier, which made everything even funnier to Ace.

"You're dating someone? Is that why your place is so clean?" Luffy perked up at the thought of Zoro finally finding someone.

"Is that who made you cut your hair? I thought when I walked in I must have accidentally used my time machine to travel back a few years." Usopp tapped his chin in thought as he studied Zoro's now short hair.

"There's no woman guys, drop it," Zoro scoffed as he pulled the knit cap on, trying to adjust it over his ears enough to keep them warm until the car was heated. Maybe he should have waited till summer to cut the added warmth from his head. "Hey Ace, come over tomorrow."

The freckled raven nodded, used to the request, and promised that he'd be there around noon. Zoro waved to everyone and reluctantly allowed Makino to kiss his cheek before hurrying out into the cold. His car roared to life and soon he was on his way back to the apartment, unaware of what lay in store for him.

oOoOoOo

Zoro could hear the music softly behind his door and wondered if the bitch from before had decided to show back up again. He swore under his breath and tried to remember if his swords were left in their case by the door or if one was still setting on the dining table. Realizing that it didn't matter, Zoro opened the door quietly and slipped inside, hoping to catch the intruder off guard.

"It's about time you got home, brat," Smoker's voice called out from his spot on the couch. He used the remote to turn off the television and shut the book he was looking at before setting both on the coffee table and getting up to face the younger man. "I tried to call you earlier, but it seems your phone is dead again."

Zoro reached a hand in his pocket and pulled out the black cell as he tried to remember the last time he had plugged it in. "Nn. If it was really important you would have found a way to get a hold of me."

Smoker internally smiled as he thought about the sleeping blonde in Zoro's bed. He was about to mention the added presence when Zoro pulled off his hat and showed off his new appearance. The detective studied him hard for a moment before speaking. "Did something happen?"

"More shit than you could imagine." Zoro tossed the cap on the table and shrugged out of his jacket, hanging it on the back of a dining chair on his way to the kitchen. "It's good you're here because I needed to see you anyway."

"Progress with your investigation," Smoker voiced; more of a statement than a question. He knew that the boy would come up with something, but he honestly didn't think it would be this soon.

Zoro was about to continue when he noticed the tea set on the counter. It was a gift he had bought for his parents when he graduated from High School. "I see you've made yourself at home."

"I thought I'd make tea while I waited for you. Don't use that cup," Smoker warned Zoro when he picked up the second cup that was sitting by the sink. Although it had been rinsed out, there was still a chance that enough of the drugs remained that Zoro would fall asleep before he could get any information out of him.

There was still a slight residue of tea in the bottom of the cup, so Zoro assumed that maybe the detective had someone with him earlier while waiting for him to get home. It wasn't usual, but on a few occasions Tashigi had accompanied Smoker when he came to visit. He took a clean cup from the cabinet and poured the last of the tea before placing it in the microwave.

"I went to see Kohza the other night." Zoro glared at Smoker when the man snorted, outwardly showing his disapproval of Zoro's actions. "I managed to gain the attention of someone, and I have a feeling that they're the ones you're looking for."

"You stupid shit," Smoker grumbled, though if you knew what to listen for you could hear the slightly pleased tone in his voice.

Zoro took his now hot tea and went over to the couch, ignoring the photo album that his godfather had been looking at on the coffee table. Smoker joined him and Zoro filled the detective in on what had happened over the last week; beginning with the fight against Braham and ending with Chimney going to Franky's. Through it all Smoker had kept fairly quiet, only asking a few questions for clarification before quieting and waiting for Zoro to continue.

"I wish you had come to me sooner with some of this." Smoker leaned back and rested his head against the top of the couch as he rubbed his face, showing his frustration for the first time during the discussion. "My witness was attacked again tonight. Two more officers were wounded, though I guess I should be thankful they are alive at least."

"Again? I thought you had the leak fixed."

"So did we, but apparently that guy was just a pawn. They've somehow hacked into our mainframe and are reading our e-mails. Garp sent a copy of a work order for a safe house as an attachment in a message to me and they located my guy through that. I barely had enough time to send someone out to double security before they showed up to kill him. He actually took out a couple of the attackers himself before getting a gun to his head. Ironically it sounds like it might be the same girl who broke into your place."

"Shit. I swear I'll fucking kill that bitch if I ever see her again."

Smoker shook his head and waved a hand dismissively. "Don't bother. She took a hit to the shoulder and is now in custody. Her partner wasn't so lucky, but he doesn't sound anything like the other guy you described. Absalom, was it?"

Zoro nodded and ran a hand through his short hair, the length still strange after all this time of not cutting it. "Is your witness ok? I'm guessing that if he wasn't you wouldn't be this calm."

"Why don't you go see for yourself?" Smoker chuckled. "He's in your bed."

"What the fuck!" Zoro glared at the detective as he stood up and stormed towards his room.

He flipped the lights on, not caring if he woke up whoever was currently trying to sleep or not, and ripped the comforter off the bed. Sure enough, a slender blonde was snoring softly in the middle of his bed wearing nothing but a pair of baby blue boxers. One look at the lithe body and Zoro instantly knew the man was trouble. Flawless pale skin prickled with goose bumps from the sudden change in temperature and the snoring stopped only for a small groan to escape before the man's breathing evened out again. Zoro's eye twitched when he noticed the thin line of drool coming from the side of the blonde's mouth and his hand gripped the blanket tightly to keep from lashing out at the unconscious man.

Zoro took a deep breath and opened his eyes to look at the intruder once more. The blonde was fairly skinny, though there was a definite hint of lean muscle in the legs and abs, and he had dark circles under the one eye that was visible beneath shaggy hair. A small shadow of stubble graced the smooth lines of the man's jaw, but it was the strangely curled eyebrow that Zoro knew he would have to fix if he ended up looking at this man for very long. The comforter was tossed carelessly back over the blonde and Zoro kept repeating to himself that the man was important and he couldn't kill him. He returned to the front room and glared at the detective.

"That's why I told you not to use the other cup. I laced his tea with some sleeping pills and wasn't sure how much was left in the mug. He probably won't wake up before noon tomorrow." Smoker pulled out a cigar and patted his pockets for his lighter. "I don't care what lie you come up with, but I need you to keep him here until the trial. I want it to seem that you guys have known each other for a long time and are very close."

"So what? You're just dropping off a guy in my lap that I've never met before and expect me to introduce him to everyone as my best friend? Oh sure, no problem." Zoro's sarcasm was thick as he glared at Smoker. "The few friends I have all know each other. How do you expect me to pull this off? No one will believe that I just suddenly had a change of heart and let an old college alumni stay with me for a few days."

"Then tell everyone he's your new boyfriend!" Smoker got to his feet and closed the distance between them as he spoke.

"Unlike you, I don't get my kicks off of having some guy suck my cock."

"No you'd rather just play with yourself! Look, Roronoa, I don't give a damn if you pass him off as your long lost brother, just keep him safe or so help me I'll kill you both myself! We've lost five officers so far to these assholes and I'm not about to let it be for nothing. You WILL guard him, you WILL keep his identity secret, and you WILL NOT give me any more grief about it."

By this time they were both in each other's faces and yelling quite loudly, the echo of Smoker's threat still settling around them in the open room. Each one as stubborn as the other, they refused to back down and give any leeway. Finally, the need to have his cigar back in his mouth was too great and Smoker backed away slightly, chomping down harshly on the end as soon as it was between his teeth.

"Don't let him out of the apartment. If that guy from No Man's shows up here, I don't want to run the risk of him being spotted. Call me as soon as you know something new."

Frustrated and tired, Zoro just nodded. Things had gone from bad, to worse, to completely fucked in less than a week. He just hoped that the guy didn't have any weird quirks that would cause them to not be able to get along. "Anything in particular I should know about him?"

Smoker chuckled as he thought about the chaos that would ensue when the two finally came face to face in the morning. "He might not look like much, but he's probably the second best cook here in the state; his father being the best. Take advantage of it and eat something decent. Oh, and he likes to smoke. In fact I recommend that you head out and buy him some cigarettes when you get groceries tomorrow."

Putting aside the fact that he had just been forced into this unwelcome situation, Zoro thought it all over and decided that having his own personal chef might be kind of nice. He had lived with the detective's smoking for all these years so the cigarettes were no problem. As long as the guy wasn't a total ass the time might even pass fairly quickly. The only problem would be a certain pair of dark headed fools. "What about Ace and Luffy? You know they'll ask questions."

The detective froze with one arm halfway in his jacket; his eyes clouded over with a mixed look of sadness and anger. "Lie. I don't want to chance that they'll let something slip to that feebleminded grandfather of theirs and have him slip up again. We're risking enough by putting him here." Smoker finished sliding on his jacket and reached for the door. "I'll be busy all week, but I'll be sure to check in with you periodically. Play nice with the new boy, Roronoa."

Zoro didn't have time to respond before the older man had closed the door, leaving the green-haired man standing alone in his living room. Having decided that he'd suffered enough excitement for the night, Zoro turned off the lights and headed for the bathroom on his way to bed. The added clothes in the laundry basket annoyed him, though only because that meant an increase in time in the basement, but the thing that really bothered him was the unfamiliar bag that he tripped over in the middle of the floor. Zoro picked it up and sat it on the bathroom counter next to the sink, giving in to the urge to look through the other man's things while he was asleep.

Worn faded clothes that didn't look like they would even fit that skinny body, a beautiful set of kitchen knives in their own leather case, a bag full of spices that looked like they had just been opened recently, a handwritten recipe book, a worn issue of some magazine called Culinary Trends, and a pink cell phone was all that he found. It was a good thing that Smoker had warned him the guy was a chef or some of those things in there might have caused Zoro to worry a bit about the man's sanity. The pink phone was a little odd though and Zoro chuckled as he opened it up; the wallpaper background a beautifully painted koi. At least it wasn't Hello Kitty or something equally as feminine.

He tossed everything back into the bag and carried it into the bedroom, setting it next to the dresser so the guy would be able to find it and put some clothes on in the morning. Zoro took one last look at the sleeping man and debated shoving him onto the floor so he could have his bed back. The thought of just sharing the bed with him sent Zoro almost running out of the room. He hadn't had thoughts like that in a long time, and he wasn't about to start exploring them now; especially with some unknown blonde who would be out of his life in hopefully just a few short weeks.

Remembering all the shit Smoker said the blonde had been through, Zoro decided to leave things be for the night and sleep alone. When this was all over, Zoro swore that he'd find someone to hole up with for an entire week and sate the pent up sexual tension that had been building for the last… Holy shit, it'd been almost a year since he'd gotten laid. No wonder he was starting to contemplate a male partner. Zoro shook his head to clear the unbidden thoughts and went to the freshly made bed in the spare room.

The twin bed was his from his parent's house and should have been comfortable enough just due to familiarity, but being surrounded by too many haunting thoughts in the room, Zoro found it impossible to fall asleep. He gave up after an hour and decided he would spend the night on the couch instead. He made the bed back up and grabbed the spare blanket from the closet as he passed by. Tomorrow he would make sure to let his visitor know that was Zoro's room he had slept in and he needed to keep the fuck out of it. Zoro fell asleep with a small grin on his face as he pictured the blonde's body sliced to shreds by his swords.


	7. Chapter 7

AN: No excuses, just an apology for it's lateness. A special TY to all the people who have just started reading in the last week and have flooded my inbox with WONDERFUL comments. Thank you, from the bottom of my heart.

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Leaving It All Behind Chapter 7

Zoro shifted the shinai in his hand once more and debated if bashing the blonde over the head would be worth the beating he was sure to get from Smoker for injuring his witness. Seeing the strange man in his bed, drooling all over _his_ pillow was the last straw. Zoro picked up the bamboo sword and prepared to strike when the alarm on his phone went off, signaling that he only had ten minutes to get to work. Koushirou told him that Zoro would have to work around his personal problems because they were already two instructors short and they couldn't afford for Zoro to be absent as well. Not knowing what to do with the blonde, Zoro had tried to wake him several times, and only received grumbles in response. Another beep of the phone and Zoro dropped the sword to his side, knowing that if the guy did wake now, it would be pointless because there was no way he could be ready in time for Zoro to make it to work before eight. He grabbed a piece of paper and wrote a short note for his new guest and put it in the top of the man's bag so he could find it easily when he got dressed. It was then that Zoro realized he had no idea what the idiot's name was.

Zoro ran out of the apartment with his keikogi thrown over his shoulder and shinai out of its case. He jumped into his car and tore out of the parking lot, uncaring of the attention he was drawing as his tires burned log strips of black down the street. The same black Porsche that had followed him to the dojo Saturday night, pulled out of the alley down the road to slip in behind him once again. This time, the green-haired man noticed the tail though and became pissed when he made out the round white hat atop a blonde head of hair. Zoro grabbed his phone and dialed up Smoker, groaning in frustration when he got the detective's voicemail.

"Run a plate for me. S-A-L-M-zero-one. The driver is that asshole from Kohza's."

He didn't bother saying goodbye as he snapped the phone shut and pulled into an empty space not far from the dojo with only two minutes to spare. His sensei sighed and shook his head as Zoro ran past him to get changed and ready to teach his classes. Kendo, akido, and meditation; at least two of them were things that he fell into naturally. Zoro looked out the front windows by the desk as he passed by on his way from the locker room to the training rooms. The blonde in the car gave him a catlike grin and waved, deliberately bating the green haired man into anger. Zoro heard the bamboo beneath his hand creak with the strength of his grip and lifted the shinai to his shoulder, attempting to look as though he still kept his cool. If he let the bastard know he was vexed, that would mean Zoro lost and that was not an option. He would continue his day like normal and hope that the blonde in his apartment had enough sense to stay put until he got back. He should have gotten the cook's number so he could check in on him.

-/-/-/-/-

Sanji woke slowly, clawing his way out of probably the deepest sleep he had ever been in. His body ached from being still for so long and his mouth felt like it was full of cotton. Long pale arms stretched above his head as he arched and twisted, trying to release the stiffness in his muscles. The soft sheets, down pillows and perfectly firm mattress alerted him that he wasn't at a safe house, causing Sanji to jerk upright into a sitting position. His head swam and he fell back into the warm bed, his eyes squinting shut against the sunlight pouring in through the window.

This time with a bit more caution, Sanji sat up and opened his eyes to look around the room. A tasteful cherry wood dresser and nightstands, complimented by red, black and white bedding, gave the room a sharp, classy look. Memories from last night began to resurface and Sanji released the breath he hadn't realized he was holding. This must be one of the bedrooms in the apartment that Smoker had brought him to last night. His new keeper had good taste at least. Unfortunately that's all Sanji knew about the man. Well that and he had bright green hair as a child. Sanji wondered why the boy and his mother would want to do a thing like that.

Sliding his legs out from beneath the warm confines of the bed, Sanji stretched again and wondered how long he had been asleep. While his body was feeling refreshed, it also ached as if he hadn't moved it in several hours. He recalled drinking tea on the couch before things got hazy. A deep frown graced his features as he realized that there must have been something in his tea and Sanji vowed to tear the detective a new one for slipping him a sleeping aid, no matter how much the blonde really did need it. However it was water under the bridge, or over the dam, or some other nonsense that he really didn't feel like dwelling on at that moment. He set his feet on the floor and stood, his stomach growling in protest at the emptiness it was feeling.

The apartment was eerily silent. Sanji assumed he was left alone, which was something of a rarity recently. The blonde was unsure whether he liked the feeling or not. Sanji walked down the hall, stopping in the bathroom along the way and noticed the added clothes atop his own in the laundry basket. The worn jeans looked like they were about to fall apart, but would be oh so comfortable to wear until then. Nothing beat a good pair of pants that just molded to one's body in all the right places. The black t-shirt held the logo of a local shipping company, the Galley La, which Sanji knew was headed by the mayor before he took office. Maybe the guy worked down at the shipyard. As Sanji continued looking around the apartment, he knew that couldn't be true. The guy's taste was way too expensive for that kind of salary. Though the furniture was well worn, the design and quality were both very familiar to the blonde. This guy was, or at one time had been, loaded. Sanji liked him already.

He began to explore the bookcases in particular, since other than the family picture on the wall, that was the only place any personal items seemed to be stashed. Numerous trophies littered the shelves, all saying first place, some just with words and others had a samurai looking man atop holding a sword. It amazed Sanji that most of the awards were from national professional tournaments. So this is what Smoker had meant when he said that the cook would be protected here. Sanji wanted to laugh though. Who carried a sword in this day? A photo on the middle shelf caught his eye and Sanji picked it up to look at the image closer. Even at their young age, he could recognize all but one man personally, the remaining dark haired individual now only known to him through another photo hanging only a few feet away. Even if his new host wasn't connected to the police, it seemed that his father had been close friends with several people who went on to become officers.

Sanji put the photo back carefully, respecting that it was an old picture and should be treated gently. He skimmed over the titles of books, amazed to see the vast range of literature that was stored there. Car magazines, computer manuals, government studies books, Shakespeare, Poe, Tom Clancy, and the list went on. Not in the mood to settle down and read, Sanji continued his exploration and pilfered through the movies, seeing just as much diversity as in the books. He did notice that there was little added to the collection in the last few years though, which piqued his interest. Adding the question to the unbelievably long list he had already mentally started, Sanji sat down on the bench of the BowFlex and reached for one of the grips.

The thing didn't budge, not even the slightest when Sanji yanked hard on the cord. Thinking that it must be in some kind of locked position, he turned to examine it. His eyes shot wide when he found that the reason it wouldn't move wasn't because of a lock, but rather the ridiculous amount of weight that the equipment seemed to be set at. If the man watching over him was really this strong, Sanji should probably be more scared of him than anyone else. Holy shit, the guy must be some kind of mutant monster if he could do reps with this.

Closing his eyes, Sanji tried to picture what that grumpy little boy in the picture might have grown up to look like. Images of the Incredible Hulk kept getting in the way and Sanji finally gave up, knowing that whatever the guy looked like, he had to be one bad assed mother fucker if Smoker had this much confidence in him. Sanji wandered into the kitchen, where anger started to build slowly at the poorly stocked shelves and fridge. He didn't want to even think about the mismatched cookware and utensils that were unceremoniously shoved into the lower cabinets. His stomach grumbled again and Sanji hoped that his new, now deemed moronic, guard would be back soon; hopefully with food.

There was a door he hadn't notice before between the kitchen and bath, but opening it revealed only a spare bedroom with a few boxes of computer equipment. Sanji wondered why he had been put in the other man's bed when there was a perfectly good bed in here. Did the guy just crawl in bed with him, or was it the detective's doing and Sanji had put the man out of his bed for the night. Either way, the blonde decided that he'd make sure to sleep in this room tonight. Leaving the door open now, Sanji returned to the master bedroom and quickly made the bed, noticing the picture on the nightstand and smiling softly at the beautiful woman who stared back.

He had just turned to leave when he noticed that his bag had been brought in and placed by the dresser with a white piece of paper sticking out of the top. Slowly he walked over to it and withdrew the note.

Shit-cook,

Don't leave the house till I get back.

Z

Sanji wasn't sure what pissed him off more; the salutation, the order or the simple consonant that signed it off. He decided that he'd stick with all of the above. The note was tossed onto the dresser carelessly as he looked through his bag for something decent to wear. The ratty jeans were at least two sizes too big and the shirt was a hideous shade of green that he considered closer to baby shit than anything. He shoved them back in the duffle and looked around. Well, if his host was going to be such an ass, he'd just make his life as miserable as possible until it was time to leave. Sanji began digging around in the drawers, looking for something to wear that wouldn't fall off his hips each time he moved. A pair of black sweats was found in the third drawer and Sanji pulled them on, cinching up the ties to help them fit. A double sword logo appeared on the upper thigh and Sanji wondered what its significance could possibly be. He heard the front door open, then shut loudly, and he smirked at his reflection in the mirrored doors of the closet. Without a shirt on, Sanji knew he didn't look like much of a fighter, but he was about to show that idiot swordsman out there that he'd picked the wrong cook to fuck with.

"Hey, you shitty-bastard, what's up with that fucking note you left me? Don't leave? I'd like to see you stop me-" Sanji stopped in his tracks at the end of the hall, the rest of his rant dying in his throat as he stared into the equally shocked eyes of a very familiar part of his past. "Ace?"

Ace dropped the leather pouch he'd been holding as well as the bag of food and stood there slack jawed as his eyes traveled over Sanji's half naked body. Sanji walked slowly to him, almost afraid that the man would disappear if he moved too fast. The dazed look on Ace's face told him that the older man was just as confused as Sanji was; even though the dark haired man's eyes kept drifting over pale skin, his grin widening with each pass. With a whispered 'fuck it', Sanji closed the distance between them and wrapped his arms tightly around Ace, fighting back the flood of emotions as he melted into the man's touch. Sanji didn't resist when the raven eagerly claimed his lips in a hungry kiss. They parted slowly, light nips and licks showing their reluctance to stop.

"Fuck I've missed you."

Ace nodded in agreement and nuzzled his nose against Sanji's soft blonde hair. "I haven't seen you in what, two years?"

Sanji chucked and laid his head on Ace's shoulder, enjoying the feeling of strong hands rubbing up and down his bare back. Standing like this it felt like Sanji had never left his boyfriend's house and they were still together. Unfortunately, he opened his eyes too soon and the unfamiliar surroundings brought him back to the present, quite harshly. Their time was gone, Ace wanting something more domineering than romantic and Sanji unable to comply. Still, Ace had been a good friend and the blonde wondered how they had managed to fall so far apart.

"I thought maybe you'd forgotten about me, or did that last threat from my father actually cause you to worry." Sanji chuckled as he remembered Zeff screaming and throwing things at Ace as the raven ran for his life.

Ace hugged the blonde tighter and laughed. "Nah, nothing like that. Not long after that I started getting really busy with working for Pop and things just went from there."

Sanji allowed himself a few more minutes within the missed embrace before he let the reality of his situation to take back over. As much as he wanted to be back in Ace's life again, he knew that he needed to keep his ex-boyfriend out of trouble as much as he could. He lifted his head and gave Ace one last peck on the lips before he stepped back and out of the comforting arms. Maybe when this was all over, he could see about patching things up between them, but until then, he needed to find out the connection between Ace and his new watcher. They were supposed to work out a cover story and Sanji had no clue if the man had already established one or not. If he contradicted anything that had been previously said, Sanji could ruin everything.

"So what are you doing here? I didn't know we'd be having any company today or I would have made sure that we went to the store before you showed up." Sanji patted his chest out of habit, searching for his cigarettes and scowled as he tried to remember if there were any left in his bag.

"What am I doing here? I think I should be asking you the same thing. I go away for a month and all of the sudden one of my best friends starts dating my ex." Ace chuckled as he pulled out a pack of smokes from one of the pockets on his cargo pants and offered it to the blonde. Sanji smiled gratefully and immediately stuck one between his lips, his eyes blinking in surprise at how quickly his friend was to bring a light to the tip. Ace's eyes widened with shock as the raven apparently made some connection in his mind. "He wasn't kidding when he said he had a hot blonde waiting for him. Holy shit."

"Wait, he told you I was here?" Sanji didn't have to pretend to be annoyed, his earlier aggravation from the note still fresh in his mind. What bothered him about Ace's revelation was that he couldn't remember telling anyone he was gay. It wasn't like he was hiding it, but he didn't go around shouting it to everyone either. Maybe it was just a joke and Ace had heard him wrong. "When did he tell you this?"

"Last night when we were leaving the Arena to meet over at Makino's for dinner. He said he didn't want to be out too late because of work and a blonde. Though I hadn't imagined that it would be you." Ace grinned at him sheepishly and rubbed the back of his neck. His foot kicked the bag of food and he hurried to snatch it up, his eyes wide with delight as he looked through the contents. "Hey, it's not exactly your thing, but it's edible. You hungry?"

Sanji's stomach answered for him and they both laughed as they walked over to the table. It was then that Ace paused and looked around in wonder at the cleanliness of Zoro's apartment. He remembered Luffy saying how different the place looked, and if Zoro was really with Sanji, that would answer a lot of things. The haircut, change of clothes, tidy apartment; it all fit. But how did the two of them hook up without him knowing.

"So how long have you known him? I don't ever remember hearing you talk about the guy when we were together," Sanji asked, beating Ace to the punch. He nibbled at the overcooked fries and wondered, not for the first time, how Ace could stay that skinny with all the unhealthy stuff he ate.

"Yah, well you know he went through some tough times when his parents were killed and he wasn't exactly the nicest guy to be around." Ace could tell that this was news to Sanji and wondered if he should be the one to tell the story or not. Knowing the green-haired man like he did, Ace had a feeling he would keep the secret forever, and if Sanji wanted a true relationship with him, the blonde needed to know what he was getting into. "About four years ago, Zoro was competing in a topnotch kendo tournament. He had just finished wiping the floor with the regional ranking number one guy, Daz Bones, when his godfather showed up."

Ace shoved the last of the burger into his mouth and barely swallowed before continuing. "Apparently the plane his parents had chartered suffered some mechanical problems and went down. The wreckage sank into the ocean and no bodies were ever discovered. After six months, we finally convinced him to hold a funeral, though he never believed they were actually gone. He vowed to find out the truth and spent just about every penny his parents left him to hire diving teams, investigators, specialist, you name it. In the end, still nothing."

"Damn that's pretty messed up." Sanji sat back in his chair and crossed his arms over his chest to keep his hands from fidgeting due to their need to hold another cigarette.

"Yah, well that's Zoro for you. I doubt it'll ever come up, but don't tell him I was the one that filled you in on that." Sanji nodded to him and Ace pinned him with a look that said he wouldn't take anything less than the truth. "So how long have you been with him?"

"Not long. It was kind of a sudden decision," Sanji tried to laugh, but even to him it sounded pathetically fake. Ace's look told him he didn't believe and that Sanji was a dumbass for even trying. With a heavy sigh, the blonde scrambled for a way to still keep his reason for being here secret. It wasn't that he couldn't trust Ace to keep quiet, it was just that… well, he couldn't trust Ace to not get involved in the situation. True, Whitebeard probably had connections that could eliminate the men targeting him, but Sanji knew that if he didn't testify they would never be able to get to the bottom of the entire thing and find the mastermind behind the whole ordeal. He had no idea what to tell Ace, but he knew it couldn't be the truth. That and he still wasn't completely sure what his cover story was supposed to be. "Look, Ace, this shit is really new to him and I don't think he's ready to go telling everyone that he's living with a guy now. I mean, you know how he is about relationships."

"Yah, I suppose." Ace pretended to buy it, but knowing both men, he could tell there was much more to the story than what Sanji was saying. He could smell a cover-up, and it bothered him that the blonde felt that he couldn't be trusted. Whatever was going on must be big, so until they clued him in, Ace decided he would play this lie up as much as possible. Maybe Zoro was finally acting out that old fantasy of his and it was about damn time in Ace's opinion. The guy hadn't been with anyone in forever, but it was a bit odd that Ace didn't know anything about this beforehand. However, if they were going to pretend to be in a relationship then Ace would give them all the help they needed and support their newfound love while doing everything in his power to make their lie as hard as possible.

Keys jingled in the lock and the door opened, letting in a man with his arms full of groceries and a mouth spilling profanity.

"Fucking worthless, piss-poor excuse of a shitty Super... I hope that fucking lift breaks with him in it on the top floor. Send the fucking asshole to hell where he belongs." Zoro froze when he heard feet shuffling towards him and a few of the bags were taken from his arms so he was able to see Ace's grinning face. Confused for a moment, Zoro tried to figure out why Ace was even there. He took a step forward and kicked something on the ground, stopping to see what it was. Zoro's eyes narrowed when he identified the leather case. "You fucking picked my lock again. Damn it, Ace, how many times do I have to tell you to use the key?"

"Yah, well Luffy had it and I thought you'd be home. But that's ok, I had someone to keep me company while you were gone," Ace commented innocently as he stepped to the side, out of Zoro's direct vision to reveal the other occupant in the room.

Sanji's first impression of the man was that he was an arrogant asshole. The baritone voice held a bit of an aggressive tone to it, the sound fitting in with the image Sanji had begun to build in his mind, and it instantly got on his nerves. He stood up from the table when Ace went to help the man, and leaned against the support post at the end of the bar counter in the kitchen, waiting to see how his presence would be addressed. He wasn't prepared for the handsome features, or the shocking green hair that peeked out from beneath a black knit cap. Sanji had expected someone much rougher, possibly more villainous or at least more intimidating and definitely not a man that young. He couldn't have been any older than the blonde himself. The glare from the guy's dark eyes sparked annoyance in him though, and Sanji bristled at the heated look that was sent his way by his new guard.

"It's about time you brought your ass home," Sanji quipped.

Zoro narrowed his eyes further, trailing over the blonde's half naked state before noticing the sweats that were hanging dangerously low on the man's slender hips. They were his favorite ones that had been a gift from someone special. Zoro looked back up, realizing that where he was staring might be misinterpreted since the logo was located just below the waist on the front side of the hip. An amused blue eye watched him from beneath that ridiculous eyebrow he had noticed earlier. "If I didn't have to stop for your shitty smokes, I would have been here sooner. Next time you run out you'll just have to quit."

"Yah, I'll quit smoking when you stop drinking," Sanji pushed off the counter and grabbed a few more bags out of Zoro's arms, satisfied at the miffed look on the other man's face. He heard Ace snickering in the background and remembered that they hadn't had a chance to work out the cover story. He was about to try and ask quietly when Ace walked back out of the kitchen.

"I didn't know you and Sanji were living together. Maybe now you'll actually have some decent meals instead of running to that diner all the time."

Zoro struggled for something to say, but his mind had suddenly blanked, having no answer as to why this blonde was in his home. He had completely forgotten that he asked Ace to come over last night and now that he was there, there was no way Zoro could sit down with the blonde and work out a plausible cover story before the curious smartass started asking more questions. Zoro looked to the new houseguest who just smirked at him and headed to put away the goods. Zoro let Ace take the last of the bags and watched the two men in the kitchen chat as they put things in their proper place. Zoro blinked a few times, wondering how in the world they had been able to get along so quickly. He pulled the strap for his shinai case over his head and set it carefully against the wall before slipping out of his jacket and hanging it on the peg by the front door. His keys were tossed on the small table beside it along with his hat as he watched the pair put their heads together in quiet conversation. Worried about what they could be possibly talking about, Zoro took a seat on one of the barstools, catching a slight blush on the blonde's cheeks that disturbed him.

"You know, when you told me you had a hot blonde waiting back at home last night, I thought you were just pulling my leg. If I had known you were serious, we would have let you go instead of insisting that you eat with us." Ace tried to keep as straight of a face as possible as he watched the tick start in Zoro's eye. "But I have to admit, I was a bit surprised to see that you were dating someone like Sanji. I would have figured you to be more into the athletic type."

"We're not dating. He's just staying here for a while," Zoro argued.

Sanji could see the questions in Ace's eyes and scrambled to try and salvage the beginnings of the lie he had started. He walked around to Zoro's side and slid a hand up the well defined arm, resting his pale hand on the top of a broad shoulder, resisting the urge to reach up and play with the gold earrings dangling from his left ear. Sanji felt the man freeze and hoped that the idiot would have enough sense to play along with him. With a disapproving frown, Sanji looked over to his old friend. "Ace, I told you he wasn't ready to admit anything."

"That's because there's nothing to admit, asshole." Zoro stood up and spun around, narrowing his eyes in warning at the blonde.

"You fucking moron, work with me on this," Sanji hissed, tightening the hold he managed to get on the sleeve of Zoro's white t-shirt when the man rose from his seat. "You weren't exactly here and I had to think of something."

"Wait, the best idea you could come up with was this? You're the fucking moron! He'd never believe that we're dating," Zoro scoffed and tried to shake out of Sanji's hold but the blonde tightened his grip and took another step closer.

"He would because he knows me. He's my fucking ex, you shitty bastard. But I guess you had a better plan, one that would make more sense as to why you would let a seemingly complete stranger just appear in your life." Sanji's eyes shone with a defiant fire as he got right into Zoro's face. Zoro's eyes widened slightly as he finally understood why the two were so relaxed in each other's company. Most of Ace's stories had gone ignored, so he had no recollection of any blonde other than Marco in the guy's life, but somehow he knew it was the truth. The man standing before him was gay and currently trying to convince him that their cover should be that they were dating. Sanji's voice deepened with anger as he failed to keep his volume down. "That detective said you were the best he had, but I'm beginning to wonder how in the world a fucking idiot like you could ever do anything right. I think the real reason your shitty hair is green is because your brain has fucking rotted. You could have played along, but no, you had to be a shitty prude and turn your nose up at the idea, killing the only chance we had at keeping this whole thing under wraps."

Zoro grabbed pale shoulders and practically bumped foreheads as he leaned in close and growled at the slighter man. "You know what you shitty-cook, I don't give a fuck what you think! I didn't ask for this bullshit. I come home from dinner to find you crashed in MY bed and that fucking asshole telling me to babysit you. I have enough shit to deal with; I don't need you to complicate things further. Come up with something else. I'm not your damn boyfriend. I've got better taste than that."

Ace watched the scene unfold with intense interest, though concerned as he realized that the situation was a lot worse than he had first imagined. Taking things into his own hands, he held up his cell phone and took another picture. The one he had snapped a moment ago would have fooled anyone into thinking that the two were together in an intimate way. The part of Sanji's face that was not covered by his blonde hair was blocked out by Zoro's head. The pale skin of Sanji's upper body stood out in contrast to the tanned hands on his shoulders, the obvious lack of breasts showing his gender. Having one of Sanji's hands clenched in Zoro's shirt helped play up the scene. Ace had even managed to get the shot at such an angle that the dojo's logo was able to be seen on the sweats that Sanji currently wore. In truth it looked as if the two were engaged in a passionate kiss, though they were actually fighting with each other. "You look like a couple to me."

"Fuck you!" both Sanji and Zoro shouted at the same time, turning their heads to yell at the grinning dark haired man.

Ace shook his head as he slipped his phone back in a random pocket of his pants before trapping them both with a leveled stare. "Well, now that I know you're not together, and that you, Sanji, are in deep shit again somehow… Who wants to tell me what is _really_ going on?"

Sanji swallowed hard and looked back to Zoro's angry face, torn between killing the man whose hands were still on him and begging Ace to forget everything he had just heard. Zoro shoved him away and pushed past Ace to stand at the window and look out at the park across the street. Sanji looked back and forth between the two men, one staring at him expectantly while the other ignored him. "I_"

"It has to do with that favor," Zoro interrupted as he walked past them to dig through one of the remaining bags on the counter. He figured that if Ace was an old friend of the blonde's that it wouldn't hurt to let him in on what was going on. Besides, having one of the D's as backup wouldn't be a bad idea either. So far these people were proving to be quite troublesome. "He's the only surviving-"

"You idiot," Sanji screamed, his bare foot catching Zoro in the chest and sending him flying towards the front door.

Zoro coughed a few times, trying to get the air to flow properly in his lungs again before noticing the black bag by his hand. His lips curled into a feral snarl as he released the tie and withdrew his weapon of choice. Well, technically the preferred weapon would have been the actual katana currently resting in the hard case a little further away, but Zoro had a feeling that the blonde wouldn't be of any help if he was sliced into three sections so the bamboo practice sword would have to do. "You really want to start this curly-que?"

Sanji tapped his toes on the floor and wished that he had his shoes near. This would hurt a little, but he'd make sure it was worth it. "Bring it on, moss-head."

Wood slats connected with Sanji's shin as the blonde blocked the first swing with ease. Zoro's eyes widened when the cook didn't seem severely affected by the attack, impressed that the man was more solid than the swordsman had first assessed. His heartbeat picked up, adrenaline coursing through him with the excitement and anticipation of what promised to be an interesting fight. His hands itched to have the familiar weight of metal in them, but he steeled himself to keeping this somewhat low-keyed and instead decided to test his opponent's limits. He watched in carefully veiled amazement as each blow was either blocked or dodged with impossible flexibility. Bare feet hit him with more force than he could have ever imagined and it took all of Zoro's training to keep from falling to a knee when the blonde's heel caught him across the side of his head.

Pissed off now, Zoro forgot all about his initial mission and bore down on the enemy. He broke through the blonde's defenses and caught him across the chest, sending the wiry body flying over the couch and into the coffee table, crushing the innocent piece of furniture beneath the man's weight. Zoro was on him in an instant and held the covered tip of his sword at the pale throat. "Had enough?"

Red welts littered Sanji's upper arms from where he had blocked several hits, but the worst looking one was the line across his chest from the final blow. Sanji tried to ignore the burning in his feet as he took in ragged breaths, one hand clenched into a tight fist at his side while the other lay on his chest in a vain attempt to ease the pain. He cracked open an eye to look up at the towering man above him and sighed lightly in satisfaction at the sight of blood dripping from a busted lip. He wondered, if you took the other man's clothes off would he be sporting just as many bruises tomorrow? Judging from the labored breathing, he had a feeling it would be a close count. The weapon was withdrawn and the green-haired man turned to walk away, dark red stains seeping through the white shirt as the thin material brushed against his skin.

"What the fuck? You're bleeding?"

"Shit." Zoro lifted his arm and felt the wound on his side break open more. He couldn't believe that Daz had even gotten that hit on him. "Don't get too proud of yourself, it's not from you."

"I didn't say it was asshole. Take your shirt off so I can see how bad it is." Sanji winced a few times as he lifted himself out of the shattered table, the pain from fighting barefooted taking its toll on his soles. He reached for the other man and saw him stiffen; rolling his eyes at the skeptical look on Zoro's face. "What, modest?"

Ace laughed, startling both of them, and hopped off the counter where he had been sitting as he watched the entire fight. He leaned in and gave Sanji a wink as he walked by. "I forgot how good you were." He continued over to flop down on the couch and wove his fingers together behind his head as he watched the two men stand there, each a little uneasy and uncertain as to what to do. Enjoying their discomfort Ace continued to remain silent, waiting for one of them to come clean with what was going on. Unfortunately, his eyelids drooped and he began snoring right as Zoro opened his mouth to speak.

"Typical," Zoro grumbled. He gave the blonde a sideways glance and decided that this was as good of a time as any to discuss the current situation. "If you know Ace, you know he can help keep you safe. In fact, it would probably be better to put you with him than me."

"No," Sanji insisted. His shoulders slumped as he looked down on his sleeping friend. "I don't want his crew involved in this. Besides, if you're really that close with him, do you think it would be very productive to have him work with Detective Smoker? Or has his crush finally burned out for the guy?"

Zoro wiped the blood off his mouth with the back of his hand and studied Ace for a moment. Actually it might not be a bad idea to force the two to be in the same room. Maybe they'd actually sit down and talk that way, possibly even working things out. Sure, the likelihood that they would get back together was slim to none, but that didn't mean that they shouldn't try to get along. Parties were so tense when the both of them were invited. He looked up when he felt tugging on his clothes and frowned as long fingers pulled his t-shirt from his jeans. "What the fuck are you doing?"

"You're bleeding, moron. If you were wounded, you should have protected your side better." Sanji's breath caught as he lifted the fabric and saw the long slash in the man's side. It wasn't deep, but the scabs had been ripped open and it was bleeding enough in a few spots to soak through the man's clothes. "Here finish taking this off and I'll go get the first aid kit from the bathroom."

Zoro watched the blond walk away; a very slight limp well hidden, though noticeable to his trained eye. He remembered Smoker telling him that the skinny guy had taken out a couple of the attackers last night, and before they fought Zoro couldn't have imagined it to be true. But now, he knew the strength concealed beneath his favorite pair of sweats. Even if it was grudgingly, Zoro had to admit that he held a little bit of respect for the so-called cook now. Like that idiot could ever make anything worthwhile to eat. Zoro pulled his shirt over his head and used the already bloodstained material to wipe his mouth again. The ache in his body was equivalent to what he was used to after a night at the cages, and it was strange that to know that it came from a half-naked, unarmed man.

"Come here and sit."

Zoro looked up to see… who was he again? "Smoker never did tell me your name."

"Sanji. Sanji Black. I didn't get your name either." Sanji sat the box of medical supplies on the dining room table and pulled out a chair. He let his eyes wander all over the scarred, muscular, sun kissed chest and wondered just where the tan lines were. The large gnarled scar caught his interest, but he knew he could ask Ace about its origins later. His gaze finally made its way back up to the other man's face and smirked at the narrowed glare he was receiving.

"Roronoa. Zoro Roronoa," Ace called out from his spot on the couch. He sat up and blinked a few times as he took in both shirtless bodies before noticing the blood on Zoro's side and the first aid kit on the table.

"Roronoa…" Sanji mumbled. "It sounds familiar."

"You've probably heard the detective say it without realizing." Zoro sat down in the chair and propped his arm on the back to keep it out of the way so he could tend to the wound himself. "I know you don't think Ace should know the truth, but I already filled him in on most of what's going on last night before you even showed up. Like it or not, he's involved and it wouldn't hurt to have someone else to help back up our story as to why you're here."

"I still say that you guys need to be a couple." Ace held his hands up in defense when both men glared at him, Zoro admittedly with greater hostility. "Just think about it. First you cut your hair, then you clean, and you even washed all your clothes. Sudden changes like this usually mean something life changing has happened and I can't think of anything better than coming out of the closet."

"No Ace, and I'm not getting involved with kelp for brains, pretend or not. I have my own reputation to protect here too. Do you really think I could be seen with an uncouth ass like this and have people believe it?" Sanji reached for his breast pocket reflexively in search of his cigarettes before remembering he wasn't even wearing a shirt. "Hey, you said that you bought me some smokes. Where are they?"

"My jacket pocket; by the door. I agree. Can you imagine the shit I would have to put up with from everyone if they thought I was actually in a relationship with this prissy bastard? I could see it if maybe he wasn't so scrawny." Zoro dug through the box of supplies, looking for something.

Sanji had lit his cigarette and was smiling gently as the nicotine filled his lungs once more while Zoro grumbled as he fought with the tape and gauze. Rolling his eyes, Sanji strode over, taking the materials from Zoro's hands and within seconds had the white pad secured in place. Ace watched the two of them for a moment, scheming plans beginning to solidify in his mind as he took out his phone and snapped a few more pictures. Satisfied that he had enough ammunition for blackmail if needed, Ace stood and started putting on his worn coat. Now that he knew Sanji was involved, the favor he had been asked to look into took on a whole new meaning, so he needed to hurry over to the warehouse and see what everyone knew. Zoro had his number, and if anything came up Ace was sure his friend would call.

"I have to go meet Pops soon so I'm heading out." He walked over and patted Zoro on the shoulder before wrapping both arms around Sanji and waiting for the cigarette to be removed so he could kiss him deeply. Ace moaned happily as he ran his hands up and down Sanji's bare back before slipping beneath the waistband of the sweats to grab the blonde's ass. "Damn, it's too bad you're not available."

"Maybe when this is all over we can change that," Sanji mumbled against Ace's neck as he breathed in the man's scent.

"We'll see." Ace gave one last kiss before looking over to a mortified Zoro who was beet red, whether from embarrassment or anger Ace wasn't sure. "Zoro, I'll call you when I find something out."

"If you want to keep your hands, you won't touch me until you've at least washed them." Zoro quickly stood and backed away from his friend. "Preferably with iodine or alcohol."

Both Sanji and Ace laughed as the blonde walked with the freckled raven to the door. "It was so lovely to have you Ace, please come visit us again," Sanji said in his best British accent.

"Oh I plan on it." Ace waved to him as he headed down the corridor to the lift. "Make sure he takes care of you, babe. Real good care."

Sanji stood in the doorway with his arms crossed over his chest, cigarette dangling out of the side of his mouth, and pants ridiculously low on his hips. The red welts were fading, and his hair was completely messed up leaving Sanji looking a little rough, but the contented smile told a different story to the two girls that had peeked out of the lift when the doors opened.

"Mizu, Kiwi, how's business lately?" Ace gave them his best charming smile when he saw the occupants in the elevator. "You seen Zoro's new haircut yet?"

"No!" They both cried and leaned further out of the lift to look down the hall. Their eyes went wide as they took notice of the unknown figure leaning on their favorite resident's open doorway; half naked and looking quite sexy in their eyes.

Ace grinned and put his arms around them, pulling them back in so the doors could close and whispered to the blushing girls. "Let's keep that little secret between us, ok? He doesn't want everyone to know yet."

Sanji stood there watching Ace curiously as the man disappeared with the girls. He was shoved callously aside as Zoro pushed past him and headed for the stairwell, pulling his jacket on over a clean shirt as he went.

"Where are you going?" Sanji called after the green-haired man.

"It's Tuesday. I have places to be," Zoro mumbled, annoyed that he should be expected to answer someone like that.

"Fine asshole! Don't expect me to cook any dinner for you when you get back!" Sanji yelled before slamming the door and sulking alone.

Zoro took the steps two at a time and was out the front door of the building before Ace had even gotten off the elevator. The instant the engine fired on the car, Zoro tore out of the parking lot, leaving Ace to stare curiously after him.

-/-/-/-/-

He pulled into the last empty space in front of the small diner and walked inside to see his favorite spot piled with bus trays filled with dirty dishes. Zoro snorted at the strange way the staff had of saving his place for him. It took him two trips but he hauled everything back to the kitchen to be washed, earning him even more brownie points that he never realized were accumulating.

As much as Zoro had tried to alienate himself over the last few years, he had failed miserably in his efforts. From the tenants at the apartment building to the cashier at the market where he shopped every week for groceries; they had all formed some kind of attachment to the green-haired man. It was a collection of nonessential things including stopping to help someone on the side of the road change a tire, putting a hand on a child's shoulder to keep them from walking out in front of oncoming traffic, and even loading purchases in the back of a pickup. It was the little things he did that he never thought twice about that had endeared him to everyone. Things like bussing his table at the diner. Zoro did it because it was the right thing, never expecting acknowledgement for his actions and therefore never knowing that what he was doing could be seen as a kind gesture. Of course their "Thank yous" to him were just as silent. A quarter in his expired parking meter when his errands ran longer than he expected, a bag of apples that hadn't originally been amongst his purchases, extra care in preparing his meals, and always a kind word to others when his name was brought up.

The list of people who considered themselves friends of the stubborn man was much longer than Zoro would have ever known as well. If asked directly, Zoro would admit to having less than a handful of friends, but in reality he had a small army of people who would drop everything to rush to his side if he ever needed it. For someone who had such keen awareness in battle, the idiot could be completely clueless in his own life.

When Zoro had taken off his hat and coat, the surly waitress had ribbed him for several minutes trying to find out the reason for the change. His warning look when she suggested he had found someone special was enough to shut her up in his presence, but not when the woman was behind the closed doors of the kitchen. Zoro's dinner was on the house that night, the cook insisting that it was his treat for whatever reason it was that Zoro had decided to clean up. Red faced with embarrassment from all the compliments about his looks, the green-haired man hurried out of the diner and locked himself in his car. A small white envelope that he hadn't noticed before was sitting in the passenger seat and Zoro picked it up cautiously.

There wasn't any writing on the outside, but he could tell that there were several pieces of paper folded within. He gently broke the seal and looked inside. A small smile eased the features of his face as he pulled out the childish drawings he quickly identified as Chimney's. There was one with him saving the children from Jigorou, one of him driving Franky's Hummer, and the last one of Kokoro, Zoro and her at the park. Zoro's chest tightened as he realized that he hadn't been to see the old woman yet. Sure he had spoke to her on the phone a few times and always checked with Franky to see what the doctors had said, but Zoro hadn't been able to work up the courage to actually see her face to face. Putting the car in reverse, he decided it was time to fix that mistake. It took him twenty minutes to make his way over to the hospital with only an hour of visitation left.

-/-/-/-/-/-

Kokoro looked frail and small, despite her plump frame, lying there in the hospital bed. Her color had paled and her eyes had dark circles under them. At least it looked like someone had taken the time to brush her hair and put it in a long braid. Zoro was about to leave her to sleep when she cracked an eye open and gave him a tired smile.

"I was wondering if I would see you." She patted the edge of the bed and tried to scoot over some more so he had room to sit. Her smile grew when he removed his jacket and hat. "Much better. You look so much like your father, too."

Zoro huffed and shook his head. "If that's the truth, I'll let my hair grow again."

She chuckled and patted his arm when he was finally close enough. "How are things?"

Deep frown lines creased Zoro's brow as he thought about all that had happened in the last few days. A week ago his life had been much simpler, and now it was a whirlwind of chaos and nightmares. "Things could be better."

"And they could be much worse. You could be the one lying here in the bed." She looked up at him in disappointment and sighed. "I hope you deserved the knock on your head."

Zoro touched his swollen cheek, remembering the bare foot that had connected with it earlier. "He seemed to think I did."

"Hm, this wouldn't happen to be the blonde that Dr Kureha saw at your apartment last night, would it?"

A frustrated groan escaped as Zoro realized just how many people had seen the man at his place now and he wondered if it was too late to get Smoker to change his mind about all of this. How was he supposed to keep the man under wraps if everyone kept seeing him? "Yah, the asshole had the nerve to attack me in my own home just because I'm not some fucking mind reader."

Kokoro laughed, which turned into violent coughing and sent Zoro into a panic when she began gasping for air. He immediately grabbed for the nurse's call button since he had no idea what to do. Two women came running in seconds later, shoving him politely but forcefully out of the way so they could check on the patient. Zoro stood in the doorway; just out of sight with his fists clenched tight enough to have his blunt nails dig into his palms. Soon the wheezing eased and one of the nurses appeared in front of him.

"I think you should probably tell her goodbye," the woman started, immediately backpedaling when she saw the distraught look on the young man's face. "I just mean for tonight. She's had several visitors today and I think it's worn her out. She needs to rest now."

Zoro swallowed hard and tried to rid himself of the knot that had formed in his gut.

"She is a tough old bird. It will take more than just a coughing fit to take her from this world." The woman smiled gently at him and took his still clenched hand in hers, pulling lightly to get him to come back into the room. "I think it would hurt her more if you left without saying anything."

He nodded numbly and stumbled after the middle aged woman, stalling again when he saw the oxygen mask covering most of the lower half of his auntie's face. Kokoro motioned him over, and he slowly responded. The second nurse helped pull the mask away for a moment so she could speak.

"I want you to promise me that you will open your heart again. People die, Zoro. The difference is in what you do with them while they are alive." Kokoro's eyes fluttered shut and the oxygen was replaced, leaving Zoro standing there in shock.

"I'm sorry, but you need to leave now." A gentle hand was placed on Zoro's forearm, startling him out of his daze.

Zoro sat in the cold on one of the benches outside the hospital until he could no longer feel his toes, admonishing himself for not coming to visit his aunt sooner. He thought about the irony of the whole thing. His parents and Kuina, the three most important people in his life, were all taken from him without warning; never giving him a chance to properly say goodbye. Now, a woman who had wormed her way into his life without his consent was slowing fading and giving him all the time in the world to say anything he wanted, yet he couldn't think of a word.

_People die, Zoro._

He ran a hand across the large scar on his chest and thought bitterly to himself, "Not if I can help it."

The blonde cook might not be important to him, but Zoro knew that both Ace and Smoker's lives would be turned upside-down if he didn't protect the man. All he had to do was keep the idiot out of sight from anyone else and see about getting in touch with that cat-like guy again. At least Zoro didn't have to worry about that pink-haired girl breaking into his place anymore. Remembering his plan to buy new locks, Zoro stood and rubbed his arms to get the circulation going. The hardware store was already closed, but he was sure that Franky would be able to hook him up with something. The green haired man turned up the collar on his jacket and wandered out of the sheltered area into the wind to retrieve his car.


	8. Chapter 8

A/N: I had no idea I didn't upload this. damn, i suck as an author. no excuses, no reason, just a profuse apology and three chapters for you to enjoy.

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Leaving It All Behind Chapter 8

The smell of something burning pulled him from his sleep and Sanji sprang out of bed, pulling on the sweats from yesterday over his naked body as he rushed to open the bedroom door, ignoring the aching protest of his bruised chest and feet. The alarm began sounding and smoke billowed out from the kitchen as a hunched over figure stumbled into view making Sanji immediately go to the man's side to help him to sit down. A quick glance at the stove revealed the source of the fire, so Sanji hurried to turn off the burners first, before searching the cabinets for baking soda. The charred remains of something indescribable covered the bottom of the skillet, making the blonde cringe at the thought of someone being able to do such unspeakable things to food. Shaking his head, he walked over to turn the alarm off and opened a window to air out the apartment, sparing a glance at the slumped over man at the kitchen table. Sanji was torn between thinking the fool was pathetic and cute at the same time or just an idiot.

The exquisitely muscular man was dressed in a pair of long black gym shorts and a sleeveless white shirt that was now smudged with black streaks. His hands were linked together behind his head of green hair while resting his elbows on his thighs, shielding his face from Sanji's direct view. Muttered curses caught his ear as Sanji padded back over to the table and took the seat opposite his new guardian. The blonde waited a full minute before realizing that the man wasn't going to explain what had happened and decided to start asking questions.

"I take it you're not used to cooking." Sanji frowned at the undignified grunt he received in reply. "I have enough shitty people out there trying to kill me; I don't need to add you to the fucking list too. You are supposed to be keeping me alive, asshole, not poisoning me."

Hardened black eyes emerged when the green head lifted and the intensity behind them startled Sanji slightly.

"You know most civilized people have the decency to fucking say something when talked to." Sanji stood and leaned forward, placing his hands on the table so he could bend over and get eyelevel with the other man. "What is your fucking problem?"

"You're wearing my favorite sweats."

Sanji blinked a few times in surprise, not expecting anything near that reply, before anger set back in again. "It's not like I had a choice, bastard! All my shit has either been burned or otherwise destroyed on my oh-so-fun-journey around the state over the last few months. After last night I'm lucky to have my head, so shut the fuck up and piss off."

Zoro cocked his head to the side and wondered how in the world this prissy little bitch had ever gotten the better of him yesterday. This thought brought him back to what Smoker had said about the skinny blonde taking out a few men during the attack. This was the second attack on the man in less than a week. Whatever he knew, it must be important; either that or he was in the wrong place at the wrong time. The curled eyebrow started to twitch and Zoro stared at it in annoyance as the swirl began to burn into his mind. He tried to remember if the one hidden beneath the blonde curtain of hair matched or if it was a freak disfigurement.

"Who the fuck did your hair, a fucking moron? You look like you let a little kid have a go at cutting it. If I looked like that I'd probably have a bunch of people trying to kill me as well," Zoro scoffed and wrinkled his nose in distaste as he began to scan over the rest of the blonde's face, or what he could see of it. His eyes kept drawing back to the brow as if it were one of the old hypnotizing swirls that made your head spin.

"As if you have any room to talk, cabbage head! Who the hell goes around with green hair? Aren't you a little old to be rebelling against your parents?" Sanji pushed up off the table to stand upright.

Zoro followed him, rising to his feet as he kept their eyes locked. "I'd rather have odd colored hair than your ugly ass face. No wonder you keep it hidden all the time."

"You're just jealous that I can get anyone I want," Sanji taunted with a mischievous lilt to his voice and slid his left hand up over the front of his pants, across his stomach and bruised chest and finally up his neck to card his fingers into his hair and pull it back from his face. He watched in amusement as dark eyes flickered to follow the movement and the scowl deepened on the tanned face when their eyes met again. Sanji smirked as he let his hair fall back in its usual manner, although it was still messy from sleep. "Don't flatter yourself. I said anyone I _wanted_."

"You don't have a damn thing to offer me, Blondie." Zoro stepped around the table and jabbed a finger in the middle Sanji's chest as he spoke, just above the bruised line. "I have my own standards, so keep your perverted thoughts in your head or I'll turn you over to those freaks myself."

Sanji immediately bowed up and became defensive, poking his own slender finger at Zoro's hard chest in return as he leaned in to argue. "Just whose side are you on? Smoker told me you were independent and not connected to the police, so where do your loyalties lie? I saw the picture of Chief Garp with your faghh-"

Zoro's hand circled tightly around Sanji's neck and he pulled the slender man up close so that their noses were brushing and the blonde had no excuse for not hearing what he had to say. "My father is none of your concern, nor is my involvement with the police. Smoker put you here because this is the last place anyone in the precinct would think to look for you. Now I've had a really shitty week and I didn't ask for this babysitting job but it pays the bills and allows me the opportunity to do things my way so I'll play along for now. But, if you think I'm going to give you special treatment because you're some big shot witness you've lost your mind."

The hand around his throat relaxed enough for Sanji to gulp in air and as soon as his lungs were full again, he decided it was time that he issued his own ultimatum. He took hold of the wrist below his chin in one hand and placed the other on Zoro's chest to try and get some distance between them. "If you don't get your hands off of me right now…"

A light knocking came from his front door, followed by heavy pounding that made both men jump. The door flew open and in walked a tall, broad shouldered man with blue hair and dark glasses. As soon as he was inside, a yellow and red blur ran straight for the two arguing men, causing Zoro to release Sanji abruptly to intercept the bundle. A huge smile graced the face of an adorable little girl with golden pigtails and a cherry colored winter jacket as she clung to Zoro's leg for a moment before backing up and looking at Sanji questioningly.

"Is he why you cleaned up?" she asked in awe.

Zoro patted her on the head and nodded, thinking that it was an easier explanation than the truth. She smiled again, disinterested now that she had her answer and wandered off into the living room to inspect the area where the coffee table had been the day before. He turned his attention to his friend and groaned at the delight on Franky's face as he looked back and forth between Zoro and Sanji. The mechanic hadn't been in when Zoro stopped by last night, but Robin had been kind enough to take the order for new locks and assured him everything would be ready in the morning. Zoro knew he should have insisted on picking it up himself.

"Franky." Zoro nodded in greeting. It was then that he finally realized just how close he was still standing to his new houseguest and also the fact that Sanji still had one hand splayed over his chest while gently held his wrist in the other hand. Zoro jerked out of the hold easily, a light dusting of pink barely able to be seen beneath the tan on his cheeks. "Um, hey."

Sanji too realized how the situation must have looked to the visitor and chuckled at how awkward of a position Zoro kept putting himself in front of others. As it was now, they would have a hard time convincing anyone that they were not involved. Watching them intently was the man that Zoro had addressed as Franky. Knowing that Zoro probably didn't have enough manners to introduce them, Sanji took it into his own hands and walked up to the large man. "Hey, Franky was it? I'm Sanji. Good to meet you."

Franky's smile only grew as he took the blonde's hand in his own, pumping it several times as he clapped the slender man on the shoulder, impressed when the man didn't outwardly wince. He took in the bruises on the pale skin, noting that they were consistent with the size of Zoro's practice sword and wondered if that was how the two had met. "Sanji? Well it sure is a surprise to meet you. I knew that something was going on with the boy, but I had no idea…" Franky trailed off as he looked over at Zoro who had something akin to panic in his eyes. "I gotta say though, bro; you really pick them special."

"He's special all right," Zoro swore under his breath as he gave said blonde a warning look. He noticed Sanji grabbing his cigarettes and looked over to where Chimney was searching for the remote in the couch. "Hey shithead, take your smokes outside."

The gruff voice grated on his nerves and Sanji looked up, ready to snap back at the man before realizing that Zoro's eyes were on the child in the room. The kid probably wasn't used to being around smokers, and Sanji could understand not wanting to expose the little girl to unnecessary bad habits. Nodding in resignation, Sanji looked around and saw the heavy wool pea coat; knowing that it was much warmer than the ratty jacket that he had been wearing when he came. Not caring if Zoro liked it or not, Sanji walked over and slipped it on before heading to the window with the fire escape. Once outside, he realized how cold his bare feet were, but stubbornly refused to go back inside for shoes. He'd just smoke one or two to get his fix and hurry back in.

As soon as the blonde was out of earshot, Zoro turned to level a hardened glare at his blue-haired friend only to be caught up in a bone crushing embrace.

"I'm so happy for you, bro. I knew that something was different with you lately, but I would have never figured it to be this! This is super! When did you guys meet?" Franky finally let go and clapped Zoro on the back a few times as the man tried to catch his breath. "I bet it's one of those cool classic things where you guys fell for each other at first sight, right?"

"No, nothing like that at all," Zoro managed to get out. "He's just a shitty jackass who's crashing here for a while. He'll be lucky if I don't kill him by the end of the week."

Franky winked at him. "Ohhhhhh, gotcha. You guys aren't ready to announce this to everyone yet."

The vein at Zoro's temple began to pulse visibly as he fought with the desire to pummel everything in sight. First Ace, and now Franky; would this nightmare ever end? "There's nothing to announce. I'm serious Franky. He's just a…" Zoro stopped and looked out the window to where the blonde was sucking on another cigarette. What was he? Not a friend, and definitely not a lover, so what? A blue eye met with his and that disturbing curled eyebrow rose in question. "…a fucking pain in the ass."

Sanji smirked at the angry look on Zoro's face and decided that he needed to put that shitty bastard in his place, and soon. If he had to be stuck with a sourpuss jackass as a guard for who knows how long, he could at least have some fun with it. Sanji tossed the spent cigarette over the rail and stepped back through into the welcoming warmth of the apartment, the hearty boisterous laughter from Franky filling the room. Sanji returned the jacket to it peg by the door and wondered who exactly the man was exactly. Seeing that a young girl was in the apartment now, Sanji decided that he should probably get dressed. Zoro had already started down the hall so the blonde quickly followed and shoved his way into the bedroom before the green-haired man could shut the door.

"What the fuck asshole?" Zoro shouted, shutting the door out of habit.

"Calm down, moron. I just need to get some clean clothes," Sanji said offhandedly as he began searching through the closet for something that might fit him.

"The hell you will! Damn it! Give me back my pants." Zoro reached for the clothes that had just been pulled out only to end up empty-handed.

Sanji held up a pair of skinny jeans that looked like Zoro would have to be melted and poured into, and nodded approvingly, tossing them over his shoulder as he continued his quest to find an outfit.

"Wait, what are you doing? No." Zoro grabbed the blue shirt from Sanji's hands and tossed it back into the closet, not caring that was now wadded into a ball on the floor.

"You idiot! You don't treat such delicate stuff like that. You don't even deserve to have you hands on something that exquisite." Sanji hurried to pick up the wrinkled garment and frowned. "Now look at it. It'll take forever to get it to hang right."

"I told you not to mess with it in the first place." Zoro rolled his eyes as he pulled the dirty shirt over his head and tossed it almost on top of Sanji's feet.

Sanji frowned as he looked down at it before glancing back up at the larger man expectantly. When Zoro continued to ignore him, appearing more interested in finding clean clothes, Sanji sighed and dropped the sweats he was wearing without any mind for modesty. He pulled the jeans on over his bare ass and checked out their fit in the mirrored doors. Satisfied that they looked acceptable, he reached for where he had laid down the shirt. Even though the silk wasn't in pristine condition anymore Sanji sighed happily as he slipped the fine material over his shoulders and began to fasten the buttons. He used his feet to kick up the dirty clothes on the floor; Zoro's shorts having joined the pile at some point while Sanji had been dressing. Not bothering to see if Zoro was decent, Sanji opened the door and walked out, stopping at the bathroom to drop the laundry in the basket. He was walking back out when Zoro passed by, a large tanned hand shoving the blonde back into the tiled room and out of the way.

"Fucker," Sanji grumbled under his breath as he caught himself on the edge of the sink. He ran a hand through his hair and took a deep breath to steady his anger before stepping back out and walking to the kitchen. He watched as Zoro ruffled the girl's hair and a gentle smile graced the man's lips, the soft look almost endearing if it were only on someone else's face. Not wanting to interfere in the tender moment, Sanji headed for the refrigerator and began to search the contents for something he could work with for breakfast. Not knowing if he should cook for just the two of them, or the additional guests, Sanji called out "Hey, you guys hungry?"

Almost instantly the small blonde had inserted herself between Sanji and the shelves of the fridge, the little girl on her tiptoes as she seemed to search for something specific.

"Where are the donuts?" Her large eyes filled with innocent curiosity as she looked up at Sanji.

Sanji shuddered as he thought about the likely eating habits of his guardian, especially if this morning's catastrophe was any indication of the man's cooking skills. "How about I cook some Belgian waffles for you? And then I'll add some…"

"None of that fancy shit, cook, just some eggs and bacon," Zoro interrupted.

"…whipped cream and strawberries if we have any. If not, then we'll just have to come up with something else." Sanji smiled sweetly down at the girl as she beamed with excitement at the prospected food. "Then we'll see about getting Mr. Grumpy over there his eggs, but I think he's ruined most of them already." Sanji gestured to the pan on the stove and both blonde's giggled.

Zoro yielded to joining Franky in the living room to watch a rerun of Yankee Workshop, though as soon as the green-haired man leaned back in the leather chair, his eyes closed and he was asleep. He woke a short time later to the delicious smells of sausage, pancakes, eggs, biscuits and gravy, and the sight of his new charge happily running around in a frilly pink apron. Never before had his little table seen that much home cooked food stacked upon it, and the display both warmed his heart and tore a hole through it. Cooking was always associated with his mother and family, neither of which he had. The sight of the lavish spread was a blatant reminder of that fact. Feeling sick to his stomach, Zoro went to the front door and slid on his boots, the need to get away pulling at him hard. He had almost escaped when a hand caught him by his upper arm and he spun around to look into the pissed off face of the blonde cook.

"Where the hell are you going?"

"None of your concern," Zoro grumbled and jerked his arm out of Sanji's hold.

"You know, I'm getting really sick of being left alone. If you're not careful, one of these times you're gonna come back to an empty apartment." Sanji folded his arms across his chest and evenly met Zoro's glare, though he noticed the larger man tense visibly at the threat.

"Your loss," was all Zoro said before picking up his black case and stepping out the door. Just before it closed behind him, he heard the disheartened 'goodbye' from his little neighbor. Completely feeling like an asshole now, Zoro headed for the stairs and slowly descended, not really sure where he was going, but he knew that he needed to be anywhere but there.

-/-/-/-/-/-

The practice rooms at the dojo were full with students and private lessons, so Zoro decided to head down to the river and see if either Johnny or Yosaku were anywhere around. The winding path behind the building was covered in leaves that had been buried beneath the snow, making the walk a bit slippery as Zoro began his descent. An empty bank greeted him when he emerged from the trees and Zoro almost turned back, but a strange pull urged him to go ahead and take a seat on the driftwood that had been pulled aside for a bench. He stared out at the water and wondered how different his life would be if his parents were still around to influence him. If nothing else, his father would be prodding him into action to practice and ready himself for the next tournament.

Zoro calmed his mind and closed his eyes, listening to every sound that came from the water and beyond. Dogs were barking at something off in a distance, and the thumping of someone's too loud base in their car faded as it drove by. The noisy chatter of birds and squirrels arguing over newly uncovered food drifted from the trees as the creatures began to emerge from their winter retreats. The notes of a familiar tune caught Zoro's ear and he spun around, searching for source. Not even the sounds of the animals could be heard anymore as Zoro's threatening aura began to seep into the clearing, warning everyone and everything to be wary of the young man.

-/-/-/-/-/-

"He's not ready," the white-haired man argued.

"Maybe, but he's pretty good, and Master says that he wants him." Absalom huffed in annoyance, silently agreeing with the man's assessment, but knowing that their opinions weren't of much importance. "Now that Perona has been caught, we're short on men. Master wants that thief found and soon. The trial date is approaching fast. You're not getting soft, are you, Ryu?"

They continued looking down on Zoro's still figure, where it sat on the old log in meditation, until the older man turned and walked away. Absalom turned to watch him leave and wondered why the usually quiet man was putting up such a fuss about the green-haired swordsman, but dismissed it as one of his coworker's odd quirks and left it at that. The soft whistling from the man faded as his white coat disappeared into the foliage. Absalom turned back to see Zoro on his feet, alert and searching the trees for something. He wondered if the green-haired man had heard them speaking or if it was the musical notes that caught Zoro's ear. Either way, Absalom knew he had been found, so he hopped out of the tree where he had been perched, almost silently making his way onto the sandy shore.

Absalom noted the case by Zoro's side and made sure that his own weapons were ready should he need to draw them quickly. "You're a hard person for us to talk to."

"What the fuck do you want?" Zoro's eyes never left the man, but he continued to listen for the sound of any others that might appear.

"Your cooperation is necessary now. We are running out of time."

Zoro shoved the strange feeling aside that the whistled tune had provoked and tried to focus solely on the man before him. "Just what is it you're wanting from me? You keep saying that you need my help, but you never say what it is that you need help with."

"Just the acquisition of a single man."

"You want me to find someone for you?" Zoro stared at the idiot in disbelief for a moment before it dawned on him that he might already have the man they were looking for in his apartment. For a split second he was ready to tell them to come get the blonde.

"Here is the information we have on him." Absalom pulled out a large manila envelope and handed it to the skeptical swordsman. "We have included a ten thousand dollar incentive, and are willing to pay another twenty when the guy is handed over alive. All we can tell you is that he's somewhere close."

Zoro wondered where Smoker was at the moment, and if the detective could get there before he ended up killing this arrogant asshole, or if he should bite his tongue and keep his cool until next time. Slowly, Zoro took the proffered envelope and gave the other man a curt nod, hopefully enough of an acceptance of the terms to satisfy him. He watched as Absalom walked back into the trees and mysteriously disappeared into thin air. Lifting the flap on the envelope, Zoro withdrew a large picture of a face he was beginning to know all too well. Sanji stared back at him from the black and white gloss paper, a chef's uniform on and looking exceedingly happier than when Zoro had left him in the apartment. The restaurant in the background was unfamiliar, but then the fanciness of the décor was a totally different level than what Zoro would ever consider going to.

His stomach growled at him again and he thought about the breakfast he had passed up back home. Maybe he should head back there and… Well there was no way he was apologizing, but he could at least head back and not let all that food go to waste. The envelope was tucked inside his waistband, and Zoro hurried back up the path to check his schedule for the rest of the week. Koushirou had done his best to give Zoro plenty of time off, but staffing was short; not to mention the fact that Zoro was the most sought after instructor in the school. The green-haired swordsman muttered several curses as he realized he was on the list for teaching today.

-/-/-/-/-/-

It was late afternoon by the time that Zoro returned to the apartment, still dressed in a borrowed keikogi and drenched in sweat. He stopped dead in his tracks when he saw the state of his kitchen and the white powder covered blondes standing in it. Chimney and Sanji were laughing happily as they worked to sweep up the spilled flour and the smell of cookies filled the air around them. Their smiles didn't waver as they looked up at him, a slightly guilty flush gracing their cheeks at being caught in the middle of their mess. Unable to contain his own amusement, Zoro turned his back to them as he closed his door so he could control the smile that had started to escape.

"Zoro! We're making cookies! I got to mix everything, but then the bag of flour got in the way and fell over. This huge cloud of white puffed into the air and made us both sneeze." Chimney covered her mouth to try and hold back the giggles, but failed miserably.

"So I can see." Zoro walked over to toss his bag onto the couch, not noticing that the confidential envelope had slipped out and fallen to the floor. "Where's Franky?"

"He said he had a few errands to run and that his sisters would be picking up the little princess around four, so they should be here anytime now," Sanji called out as he bent down to sweep the pile of ruined ingredients into the dustpan. "I promised Chimney she could take some cookies with her so I hope the ladies don't mind waiting a few extra minutes."

"Whatever." Zoro started off to take a shower when he noticed Chimney still standing there watching him with a sad look in her eyes. He remembered his abrupt departure earlier and wondered if she was still upset about it. Women, no matter what their age, would continue to confuse him for as long as he lived. He ruffled her hair as he walked by, scowling at the white cloud that hung around her head after. The small action seemed to ebb the sadness a little and took some of the guilt off of Zoro's shoulders. The feeling of hot water against his skin beckoned him, so Zoro gave her a half grin as he resumed his path and stepped into the bathroom. He would make it up to the girl properly later. The door closed, blocking out most of the noise coming from the other end of the apartment and leaving Zoro to take his shower in relative peace.

In the short time it had taken him to clean up, Mozu and Kiwi had arrived and taken the energetic little blonde with them to their own apartment. He didn't dare ask how things had gone, for fear of some new twist on the already messed up lie that he had planned on telling everyone in regards to his new houseguest. Zoro glared over at the cook and his scowl deepened when he noticed the manila envelope in Sanji's hands.

"Don't you know better than to stay out of other people's shit, asshole?" Zoro reached to snatch the package and was instead met with a solid kick to his face, bloodying his nose and sending him flying backwards. He bounced up quickly and prepared to go on the offence when he noticed the trembling in the cook's hand which held his picture. Realizing how bad it looked, Zoro tried to calm down enough to explain what was going on. "Before you came to stay here, Smoker asked me to look into the guys that were carrying out the hits on all the witnesses. As you can see, it looks like I've found them."

"There's quite a bit of money in here. You thinking about taking the offer?" Sanji's body shifted and Zoro could tell he was preparing to react depending on what the response was.

"Maybe… You are a severe pain in my ass, and I could use the extra cash."

The envelope fell, sending all the papers and photos scattering to the floor as Sanji charged at him, anger fully renewed and obviously reenergized after a decent meal and night's sleep. Zoro caught him mid air and threw him into the couch, deciding that he had given the scrawny little shit enough leeway since his arrival. Sanji literally bounced off the furniture as he sprang back at the larger man, not a care in the world for anything standing in his way. One of the chairs to the table splintered beneath them as they fell in a jumble of punches and kicks, each using every little dirty trick to their advantage to get the upper hand.

Sanji kneed Zoro in the groin hard, doubling over the man for a moment, but not long enough to get more than one good hit in. Pissed off now, Zoro grabbed a handful of golden hair and used the hold to throw the blonde across the room into the kitchen. Sanji slid across the stone tile and rolled over to his feet, jumping up on the counter and leaping back onto Zoro, knocking them both to the floor again. Zoro's face was slammed into the rug and when he opened his eyes, his body froze, not even noticing the blonde atop him, trying to turn him over. The second his eyes focused, Zoro forgot all about the fight, the case, and even the presence of another being in his home. All that mattered now was the faint imprint of artwork under black type. The skinny cook was tossed to the side like a forgotten rag doll and never given a second glance as Zoro's eyes stayed focused on the single piece of paper beneath his nose.

Zoro snatched up the document and scrambled to his feet, heading directly for the phone. He had to hang up and redial twice due to mistakes, the anxiousness making his hands tremble as his mind filled with past horrors. When the line was picked up on the other end, Zoro had to clear his throat before he could speak intelligibly, and even then his voice sounded dead.

"Get over here. I've found something." There was a long pause of silence before Zoro nodded and cradled the phone again without saying goodbye.

Sanji watched him from his still crouched position on the floor, unsure of what was going on, but knowing that it had to be something important to change the man's aura that fast. Zoro had gone from pissed to stone cold in less than a heartbeat. Sanji slowly rose to his feet and cautiously walked over to where Zoro was standing silently by the phone. He could see the slight tremor in the calloused hand that held a letter size sheet of seemingly inconspicuous paper. It was now slightly crumpled due to the tight grip in which it was being held, but Sanji could see that it was a list of people and address of those that were close to the cook, as well as some of the restaurants that he had worked at in the past. Chills ran down Sanji's spine as he realized how much the enemy knew about him and how much danger some of his friends might be in.

Nothing on the page really stood out to him as odd except the unusual watermark, barely visible in the background: a strange skull with what appeared to be flames on each side of it and wings coming out from behind. It looked like something that belonged on an old pirate flag, not a symbol for a company of any sort, but Sanji had to admit he was familiar with it and had seen it several times in the past. It was the same symbol that appeared on the papers that he had seen passed around during the meetings at the Baratie between the people who were trying to kill him and several other groups. He wondered what connection Zoro had to it.

"Zoro?" Sanji approached the man cautiously. "What the fuck is going on?"

Zoro's shoulders drew back as he took a deep breath in and turned to look at the oddly concerned blonde. "What can you tell me about these people after you?"

"First you tell me what's so important about a shitty piece of paper, and then maybe I'll think about answering you." Sanji took his cigarettes off the counter and shook one out of the pack.

There was a flash of anger across Zoro's face before he took a deep breath to settle himself and answer. "I've seen this paper before. It was used to print a shipping list of packages that accompanied my parents on the flight that sent them to the bottom of the ocean."

Sanji's hand holding his cigarette paused, inches from his mouth as his mind tried to make the connection. If it truly was the same, then both of their worlds had gotten a lot more complicated. "Wait, you think the same guys who are trying to kill me are the ones responsible for your parents' death? How do you figure that?"

The silence was deafening between them as they stood there, glaring yet not at each other. Both men were on defense, guarding their secrets cautiously as they tried to decide what bits of information to reveal to the other. Sensing the genuine concern from the blonde, Zoro looked back down at the paper and began to smooth out the wrinkles in effort to make it flat again.

"Because this logo was on the side of the boxes that were shipped on the flight with my parents, yet mysteriously never found at the crash site, just as my parents were never found. It's the only link I have and the first clue to surface in over three years."

"Shit… and here I thought that Ace was exaggerating about your parents." Sanji shook his head in disbelief as he struck a match. The flame jumped to life and was brought to the tip of the cigarette dangling from the cook's mouth. "So all these years, you've been running after a shitty looking logo when you should have been looking for a specific man instead."

"I couldn't find it associated with anyone, so how the hell was I to know who to look for? The only surveillance footage was too blurry to make out anything of use." Zoro brushed past the cook to return to the spilled contents of the envelope on the floor. He picked them up and sat down on the couch to look through the papers intently. When there was knocking at the door, Zoro seemed unfazed by it and continued to read each document carefully. Sanji crushed out his cigarette in the ashtray he had found in the cabinet and went to greet their visitor.

-/-/-/-/-/-

Sanji had been expecting to see Detective Smoker on the other side of the door, so when he opened it to find a handsome young man instead, it somewhat threw him off his game. He blinked owlishly a few times before finding his voice, and his manners.

"Can I help you?" Sanji took in the proud way the man carried himself as well as the way his left arm seemed to be favored and wondered if maybe he shouldn't have opened the door so far. This could easily be one of the attackers, and Sanji had practically invited the man in.

"I…" The silver haired man peeked inside the apartment and looked around, a bit confused. He stepped back and looked at the door plaque, seeing that it indeed was the right apartment before chuckling lightly and shaking his head. "I guess you're Sanji. The guys weren't kidding when they said that Zoro had changed."

"I am, and what guys?" Sanji shook hands with him and stepped aside to let the amused man enter. "Why is it that he tells me not to tell anyone I'm here, but he goes out and tells everyone he knows."

"I didn't, they're just a bunch of women who like to gossip," Zoro argued from his seat on the couch. He gave just enough effort to look over his shoulder and nod to the visitor before returning to his study. "Saga, did you bring the file?"

"I got it."

Saga had just started out as a private investigator when Zoro's parents died. He worked diligently on the case for six months before sitting his best friend down and telling him that although he wasn't giving up, there was just nothing left to go on. It was at this point that Zoro finally broke down and held the funeral. After Zoro had called earlier, Saga immediately jumped at the thought of a new lead and hurried over as soon as he could get away. He began taking his jacket off and was surprised when Sanji was right there to help him out of it. He thanked the blonde before making his way over to the couch to sit beside his friend, noticing the shattered chair and odd positions of the remaining furniture. He didn't have to use any of his PI skills to discern that a heated fight had occurred and recently.

Saga was about to ask about the scuffle when Zoro reached under the hem of the investigator's shirt and pulled the folder from the waist band. He'd hidden it there to keep his wife from seeing and insisting that she come along. With her this far along in pregnancy, she didn't need any of this extra stress, so he would shield her as much as possible. Saga watched as Zoro slipped off the couch to the floor and finally realized that the coffee table was missing from the empty space. Old and new papers were lined up, side by side and Saga whistled low as the missing pieces of the puzzle began to appear.

"I thought you were probably just following another dead end, brother, but it looks like you've actually found something." Saga looked up from the picture of Sanji on the floor to the real thing currently washing dishes in the kitchen and wondered what the story was behind the blonde's appearance in Zoro's life. He had seen Luffy and Usopp last night at Makino's where they had proceeded to tell him all about his friend's change in appearance. Saga dropped his voice to a hushed tone and kept his eyes on Sanji as he spoke. "You do realize he's the only one who can lead you to the guy behind the symbol, right?"

"Yes." Zoro followed Saga's line of sight and watched Sanji for a moment before the cook turned and caught him staring, giving Zoro a flirty wink. The swordsman scoffed at the action and returned to reading over the papers again. "If I don't kill him first."

Saga smiled warmly down at his friend and patted him on the shoulder. "I'm assuming that the reason he's here is so you can protect him, so I find that hard to believe."

"Why should you. No one else believes what I tell them about him," Zoro grumbled as he turned another page.

"Maybe they see something you don't," Saga offered, holding up a hand in front of him to ward off any arguments from the green-haired man. "Just think about it. This change in your life might be just the thing you need. It's all right there. The only thing you have to do is open your eyes and see it."

Sanji came out of the kitchen carrying a large tray filled with cookies and two tall glasses of milk. He had changed out of his flour covered clothes into a baggy pair of pants and a slightly large t-shirt with the Galley-La logo on it, showing to whom the clothes originally belonged. The blonde sat the snack down on the floor next to Zoro and gave the grumpy man a sly smirk before taking a seat in the adjacent side chair next to him. Zoro glared at the bare feet that were now only inches from his thigh and debated pouring the glass of milk on them, but deemed it a waste of a good drink. Saga edged Zoro even closer to the blonde as he joined the green haired man on the floor and happily dug into the sweets, humming in appreciation around a full mouth. Sanji's smile increased at the positive response and the blonde relaxed further into his chair.

"So tell me a little about yourself, Sanji," Saga asked after washing down several cookies with the ice cold milk. "How did you get mixed up in all of this?"

Zoro lifted his head at the question and looked over to see Sanji frowning as the cook stared intently at an unlit cigarette. He could see the troubled expressions pass over the blonde's face as they waited for a response and was honestly curious about the answer himself. All Smoker had told him was that the guy was testifying in a major case and he needed to stay alive. What did he know? How was he connected to the people who were possibly responsible for his parent's death? Zoro watched as Sanji sat up and finally lit his cigarette before forcing a smile.

"Since you're looking at my file, you're either another hitman or connected to the police somehow, I'm guessing. But, if Zoro trusts you, I guess it's alright." Sanji looked up and held Saga's pleased gaze as he spoke. "About a year ago, these guys start coming in and booking one of our banquet rooms to hold meetings in every so often. They never had a schedule; sometimes coming in the morning for breakfast, or late at night just before closing. I always made sure the bastards were well taken care of, sometimes serving them myself if necessary. That's probably my first mistake."

"One night, a new girl joined their group. I'm sure that underneath all the scars, she was beautiful, but whatever had happened changed that. The biggest man in the group, the one they all called Master, ignored her like she wasn't even alive. But the other one…" Sanji's lip curled into a sneer as he remembered the way the bastard treated the delicate creature. "She began crying, so as any gentleman would, I started over to see if I could comfort her. That's when I sealed my fate."

"A tall man grabbed me and pulled me into the shadows, shoved a box into my hands and made me swear that I would hide it at all costs. Shots rang out between the two groups and everyone left on staff that night was gunned down. The office and computers were trashed and if it hadn't been for the cops showing up when they did, they'd probably have burnt it down as well. It was the first time the old man had left me in charge," Sanji laughed bitterly. "I doubt he'll ever do that again."

"So you're the only one left who could identify the shooters. Not to mention you could probably point out some of the other men that they had met with," Saga mused as he grabbed one more dessert from the plate.

"Why give the box to you?" Zoro had picked up one of the cookies and was studying it like it might be poisonous.

Sanji shrugged his shoulders as he leaned back and nudged Zoro's leg with his foot, earning him a nasty look. "It's a snicker doodle, shit-for-brains. Just eat it."

Saga switched his empty glass for Zoro's untouched one as Zoro took his first tentative bite. The slight raise of his eyebrows and the speed at which the rest of the treat disappeared told how much he liked it. He wolfed down two more greedily as he realized how hungry he actually was, this being the first solid food he'd eaten all day.

"Do you have any other names you can give us?" Saga asked, grinning sheepishly when Zoro reached for his drink. "I know you said that they called the one guy Master, but what about the others?"

"Doctor H. Everything was paid in cash and the place was always reserved under Doctor H." Sanji took Zoro's cup from his hand and headed for the kitchen, returning a moment later with another full glass of milk. He sat it down by Zoro as he took a seat on the arm of the chair. "They were usually at the restaurant with one other guy; a little short round guy with beady eyes and long canines, making him almost vampire like. Hodgens, Higgins, Hilton… damn, I can't remember. The detective should have it all written down somewhere."

"Maybe I'll go see what Smoker is up to. Hey, Sanji, can I take some of these to my wife? Maya's expecting and it would probably help get me out of trouble for coming over here without her if I brought something sweet back." Saga grinned like a hopeful child as he tried to gain a bargaining chip.

"Anything for a woman in need," Sanji said dramatically as he stood up and snatched the tray from under Zoro's nose, watching in amusement as Zoro pouted at the loss of his snack. "Don't worry, Marimo, I'll make you some more tomorrow."

Zoro bristled at the name, knowing exactly what the word meant. His mother had tried to bring back specimens of the algae to grow in their koi pond, only to find it wouldn't survive in the vastly different habitat from its native home. He opened his mouth to argue back just as his apartment phone rang and Zoro paled when Sanji reached over without hesitation to answer it.

"Roronoa residence, how may I help you?" Sanji turned his back to Zoro and grabbed a pen off the counter, flipping over one of the envelopes from the stacked up mail to use as a note pad. "Hey! ...Uh huh… OK… Not a problem. I'll talk to you later, then. Ciao."

Saga looked back and forth between Zoro and Sanji quickly before deciding it was definitely time for him to be leaving. He could almost see the steam coming out of Zoro's ears as the hot-headed man tried to glare holes through Sanji's back. Saga began gathering up the papers on the floor, making sure to leave all of the photos and unrelated material in a neat stack beside his friend before sliding the rest back in the envelope he had brought with him.

"That was Ace." Sanji spoke loudly, so his voice would travel clearly from the kitchen to where the men were sitting. He paused for a moment as he dug around in the cabinet for some aluminum foil. "He said that he didn't have anything for you yet, but he's checking on something tonight and he'll get back with you as soon as he can."

"I'll check back with you too, Zoro. I need to check on Maya before I run down to the precinct." Saga accepted the metal origami swan filled with cookies and thanked the proud cook several times before allowing the blonde to help him with his jacket. Something about the way Sanji acted made him realize the man wasn't helping out of pity for his disability, but rather as a kind gesture of deep rooted manners and etiquette. True, he and Zoro seemed to clash constantly, but maybe that's what made them so perfect for each other. Saga turned to the blonde and looked him deep in the eyes, making sure that the seriousness of what he was about to say would sink in. "That buffoon over there might be rough around the edges, but if this turns out to be a solid link, I want you to promise me that you'll watch out for him. I can't be here to keep him from trying to play vigilante, and I know he'll want to. You two let the law handle this, and stay put when we tell you."

"I want these clowns brought to justice just as much as you do," Sanji assured him with an elusive answer and walked with the PI to the door. "Give our best to your wife. Let me know if she wants more."

Saga smiled, happy with how comfortable he felt around Zoro's houseguest and hoped that his stubborn friend would take his advice to heart and seek out companionship with the blonde. They both looked like they could use some stress relief, and what better way than with someone who could possibly be the missing link to resolving past issues. Saga waved goodbye to Zoro who was still seated on the floor and shook hands with the cook once more before heading out the door.

Sanji stretched dramatically as he wandered into the kitchen and began getting things out to prepare the evening meal. The grumbling of Zoro's stomach hadn't gone unnoticed and he felt it served the oaf right for running out on breakfast that morning. At least Franky and Chimney had appreciated it. Sanji chuckled to himself as he thought about the eccentric blue haired man, and wondered if Zoro had any idea what they had talked about in his absence. Strange enough, the topics ranged from the new dinner theater aboard a renovated steamboat to the possible reasons that Chimney was so taken with Zoro. Franky treated Sanji as an old friend; like he had been there forever and they were just catching up. The sense of nostalgia helped to relieve a great deal of tension that had built up, and Sanji began to consider even thanking the detective for sending him to stay here.

His mind began to wander over all the people he had met so far since Zoro had entered his life. Ace wasn't someone new, but for as long as they had been apart, it was close enough to starting over. Smoker was also technically before he met Zoro, but he still counted him since the detective was the person who brought them together. Chimney had been adorable, though he and Franky never did come to a conclusion on why she liked the grumpy swordsman. The twins were also a welcome site. It had been far too long since Sanji had been in the presence of one beautiful woman, let alone two. Mozu and Kiwi kept telling him how happy they were that he was living there and if he ever needed anything to come down and see them. They had barely been gone a full minute when Zoro came out of the bathroom after his shower. And finally there was Saga, who seemed to be closer to Zoro than any of the others. If the private investigator turned out to be half as good as he claimed to be, Sanji actually stood a chance to be back home before Memorial Day.

Out of the corner of his eye, Sanji watched Zoro get up from the floor and walk over to the surround sound system. He messed with the buttons for a moment before Fly Me To The Moon, by Frank Sinatra echoed out of the speakers. The choice in music startled him, as did the pained expression on Zoro's face as the green-haired man stood looking at a small photo in his hand. Sanji turned down the burner on the stove to let the contents of the pot thicken and walked into the living room cautiously. He was about six feet away when Zoro spoke.

"He told you to not let me go after them, didn't he?"

It took Sanji a moment to process the question before he realized Zoro was referring to Saga. "He said to not let you do anything stupid like trying to play jury, judge and executioner."

Zoro snorted and slipped the photo back into a book, replacing it to the shelves before Sanji could get a good look at it. "He'd better hope he gets to him first then. If that guy is really responsible for the plane crash…"

"And if he's not?"

There was a long pause of silence before Zoro shook his head and shrugged his shoulders, silently admitting that he had no idea what would happen then.

"It looks like we both have a lot on the line with this case then," Sanji pondered, returning to the kitchen when the timer on the oven went off. "Dinner's ready."

They ate in relative silence; the widening of Zoro's eyes at the first bit the only indication he was impressed with the food. Sanji was glad he had decided to keep the meal basic; London broil, roasted potatoes with stock gravy, a simple side salad and garlic biscuits. Nothing was left on their plates or in the bowls when the two young men finished eating their fill and then some. Zoro stood side by side with the cook washing dishes that night, the only words breaking the silence were the soft murmurs of Zoro's name from the Sanji's lips as he passed a clean dish to be dried.

Together, they sat on the couch watching random channels as Sanji searched for something of interest. Zoro's eyes glazed over, unfocused as he lost himself in the new information he had received. Sanji was the missing link he needed to find the man behind the suspicious boxes and that same man wanted the blonde dead. There were at least three assassins that he could discern, the annoying girl fortunately behind bars thanks to Sanji. Absalom was another, and it was he that Zoro had the pleasure of doing business with lately. The third was still a mystery, but Zoro was sure he'd heard a second person in the woods with the cattish man earlier. 'Fly Me to the Moon.' Why was he whistling that tune? It must be pure coincidence. Zoro turned to look at Sanji and was a bit surprised to see the cook slumped over, fast asleep. Liking the idea, Zoro turned off the TV and headed for his room, but not before haphazardly throwing a blanket over the snoring man on the couch. There was much to do tomorrow and he needed to be well rested to endure it.

Dreams of jazz bands and his mother's laughter haunted him the entire night.


	9. Chapter 9

A/N: 2nd of 3 chapter apology update.

* * *

Leaving It All Behind Chapter 9

Ace lifted his head from the table and wiped the scrambled eggs off his cheek before looking around. The kitchen was silent, signifying that his little brother had already escaped for work thus leaving him to do dishes. He finished off the last of his food which had somehow survived Luffy's wrath and picked up his plate to deposit it in the sink. As he waited for the water to run hot he pulled out his phone and checked for missed calls. There was one from Luffy and three from Marco as well as a text from his blonde friend. Thinking that it was just a message griping at him for not showing up early like promised, Ace almost dropped his phone in the rising water when he read the news. Dishes now forgotten, Ace turned off the water and ran from the room. This was bad; very bad.

-/-/-/-/-/-

Sanji groaned in pain as he sat up from his uncomfortable position on the couch and looked around. Daylight was already pouring in through the large windows, revealing a beautiful blue sky without a cloud in sight. Sanji smiled as he took in the welcome view, wondering how long it would be before he could go out and truly enjoy the fresh air again. A worn blanket fell to the ground as he stood and Sanji bent to pick it up. His brow wrinkled slightly as he realized who had put it there, giving the blonde proof that his watcher wasn't completely cold hearted. After folding the blanket, he neatly hung it over the back of the couch and went to the bedroom to collect his toiletries so he could clean up and properly start the day.

Walking back into the kitchen, he noticed the pile of broken wood that had once been a dining chair up against the wall by the front door. He did feel a little guilty for constantly breaking the man's furniture, but it wasn't as if he did it all on his own; Zoro had been a participant in the fights as well. For some reason though, Sanji couldn't help but rise to the occasion every time the green-haired man baited him, and visa versa. They just couldn't do anything but antagonize each other. For Sanji, that first fight was such a release for him. It was the first time he had felt like himself since entering this godforsaken protection program. He thought back to the three men that had been killed, and several others wounded for his sake. Sanji squared his shoulders and vowed that their sacrifices would not go in vain. He _would_ bring these men to justice and see that they paid for each and every life that had been ruined.

With renewed determination, Sanji decided it was time to get breakfast started and debated going to wake up the sleeping Marimo first. Seeing no need to start something with him on such a beautiful day, Sanji began looking through the cabinets to make out a plan for meals. Breakfast would be light, since there wasn't much to choose from, but lunch and dinner looked promising. Grabbing the notepad off the top of the fridge, Sanji began to make out a grocery list as he worked; annoyed, though not surprised when he found half the spices to be old and useless.

Zoro sleepily stumbled out of his room, bumping into the cook as Sanji was coming to tell him the food was ready. He gave Sanji a grunt and a nod before pushing past and walking into the bathroom. When he sat down at the table, Zoro was a might bit more coherent and almost sociable. He thanked the cook when Sanji presented him with a full plate, and even offered to refill both of their cups when the first of the coffee was gone. There wasn't any conversation, but yet a comfortable silence settled over them as they enjoyed the morning meal. Sanji jumped, and almost knocked his plate off the table, when there was a loud _BANG_ outside the window on the fire escape.

"Hey, go let Ace in, will ya?" Zoro asked as he grabbed another biscuit.

Sure enough, the freckled raven was standing up from the crouched position in which he had landed. An innocent smile spread across his face as he waved to the men inside. Sanji picked up a piece of bacon and walked to the window, looking out at his ex as he dramatically took a bite of the crisp meat. He could almost hear the whimpering and decided he'd tortured the man long enough.

Ace climbed through the now open window and shrugged out of his jacket as he gave Sanji an exaggerated pout. "Tease."

Sanji grinned and gave him a wink before heading to the kitchen to get another place setting. As soon as his back was turned, Zoro glanced up and confirmed his suspicions. There was a deadened look in Ace's eyes and a slight frown that creased his usually happy face. Sanji returned before he could ask any questions, but Zoro knew whatever had happened would not be good. Ace dug in and helped polish off the remaining food, all the while being watched intently by the blonde. When he was done, he pushed his plate away and took a deep breath to prepare him for the battle ahead.

"The Baratie was hit two nights ago."

The cigarette that Sanji had just pulled out was crushed between his fingers as rage flooded through him at the news. He managed to keep from exploding, but his voice was strained as he slowly placed the destroyed tobacco on his plate. "Is everyone OK?"

Ace looked to Zoro for support and was glad to see that his friend had already pushed his chair back from the table a bit in case physical restraint was needed. "The dining room was left untouched, but…" Ace closed his eyes and braced himself for the outburst. "The kitchen and offices were destroyed. They had even poured gasoline all over everything and were about to burn it when the cops happened to show up."

"Damn it! I should have been there! This shit is all my fault. Fuck!" Sanji shoved away from the table and began pacing. "I'm just so sick of this! Why the hell am I fucking hiding? Maybe I should just give them the shit and be done with it. All I want is to go back and-"

"Zeff's in the hospital," Ace said quietly, effectively stopping Sanji's rant cold in its tracks. "He had stayed late by himself so no one else was hurt, but…"

"Is he…" Sanji swallowed hard, trying to rid himself of the lump that had formed in his throat.

"I haven't seen him yet. I just got the word this morning." Ace stood up and walked over to stand in front of Sanji.

"Is this what you were checking into yesterday?" Sanji managed to look up, pain and anger filling his eyes as he searched Ace's face for some glimmer of hope.

Ace nodded and reached out to cup Sanji's face in his hand. "I'm sorry. I just thought they trashed the place. If I had known that the old man was hurt I would have told you sooner."

Sanji shook him off and grabbed the pack of cigarettes off the table as he went to stand in front of the window overlooking the park.

"Get away from the window, shit-cook. If they're watching the place, you don't need them seeing you in my apartment." Zoro frowned when the blonde ignored him and continued smoking. Zoro could sense that this Zeff person must be someone important, so he let the cook be for the moment; praying that Lady Luck might give him this one break.

Keys jangled in the lock, followed by deep grumbling and heavy pounding on the door. Ace was the first to react and was at the door in an instant, a large knife in hand as he cautiously reached out to unfasten the safety latch. He turned the lock and pulled the door open swiftly, his eyes widening and the knife dropping to the floor when he came face to face with an angry detective.

Brown eyes widened slightly before hardening and Smoker glared down at the shocked man. "I guess this explains what happened to the lock."

Zoro laced his fingers together and placed his hands behind his head, giving off a nonchalant look though his attention was still focused on the ruffled blonde. "Actually that sorry-assed super was the one responsible for my visitor getting in the other night so I had Franky change it out."

"Hn." Smoker tore his eyes away from the slowly recovering raven and pushed past him into the apartment. He noticed the lack of a dining chair and glanced around curiously. The couch and side chair were still a bit askew and the big open spot in the middle of the room stood out like a sore thumb to him. The slightest turn at the corner of his lips was the only outward indication of his amusement. "I see the two of you haven't killed each other yet."

"Yet is the operative word," Zoro griped.

"The thought has crossed my mind as well," Sanji retorted. He gave the detective a heated look and crushed out his cigarette in the ashtray on the counter. "I'm guessing you've come to tell me about my father."

Zoro had rocked back slightly, but at the revelation his chair hit the floor hard. "Father? Shit…"

"I see. News travels fast in certain circles." Smoker scoffed as Ace walked past him and into the kitchen. "We didn't know he was injured until this morning when one of the other employees brought him in to the ER. He's in stable condition, no immediate threat and his prognosis is good."

Smoker's fingers twitched as he spoke and he finally broke down to pull out a cigar from his inner pocket. The second it touched his lips, there was a light at the tip, held by a tentative yet hopeful young man. Such a simple action, yet to the broken couple it signified so much more. For a brief moment, Smoker had almost pulled Ace in for a kiss; his normal "thank you" for the brat's help. A wet tongue swept across a thin upper lip, wavering Smoker's iron will just slightly. Then, just as suddenly as he appeared, Ace was gone again. The low growl that escaped his own chest startled him as Smoker watched the freckled young man walk over and wrap his arms around Sanji to comfort him.

Zoro rolled his eyes and debated going over and smacking both of them upside the head; Ace and Smoker that was. They were clearly still harboring feeling for each other, no matter how much they tried to deny it. True there were some touchy issues between them, but he'd never seen his godfather as happy as when he had been dating Ace. One of these days, maybe, they'd get a clue. Having enough with their stupidity, Zoro stood and began clearing the dishes off the table. Their situation wasn't the important one here. Sanji was standing at the window again with a glazed look in his eyes and for once, Zoro was able to sympathize with the blonde. An unwarranted attack on a parent was all too familiar to him. Zoro put the last plate in the sink and wondered if the attack on Sanji's father was the only reason for the detective's visit.

"Has Saga been to see you yet?"

The question was enough to break the spell and bring everyone back to the issue at hand.

"He has." Smoker followed Zoro into the living room and took a seat in the side chair, not wanting to give the chance for anyone to sit next to him. He didn't bother waiting for the others to join them before he continued. "Unfortunately, there are still no leads on that mark, and the name Hilton is connected to more factions than we had imagined; one of them being Geko Moria."

"Fuck," Ace mumbled as he flopped down on the floor by Zoro's feet.

"Who's Moria?" Sanji came in with a tray of coffee and began handing out cups to everyone.

"I want you off this case, Zoro." Smoker glared at the green-haired man, hoping that he understood the severity of the situation.

"No. I'm finishing this. Besides, I'm already in, or didn't Saga tell you?" Zoro stood and walked over to the bookcase to pull out the folder with the request for Sanji's head. "That damn cat has been following me around and finally came out of the shadows yesterday to give me this."

Smoker took the folder and pulled out the information within. The furrow of his brow only deepened as he sifted through the pages. The sharp scent of cloves assaulted his nose and he turned to see Ace leaning over the back of the chair studying the printouts with an intense look on his face.

"Mr. Black, I'm assuming by your interactions that you and Portgas are at least friends. Keep in mind that any interaction on his part will jeopardize the case."

"Ace," Sanji's voice was laced with a hint of warning. "Stay out of this. I already told you I didn't want you involved."

"I know, I know, but I also told you I'm not going to sit idly by and watch some deranged lunatic ruin your life." Ace looked up at the blonde and gave him a charming smile. "I already took the liberty of placing a few men to keep an eye on your old man just in case they try to come back."

"Portgas." There was a threatening edge to tone Smoker had taken, but it didn't seem to faze the raven at all.

"Don't worry, _taisa_," the nickname flowed off Ace's tongue with almost a purr, "I made sure that they blended in and won't cause any trouble for the men you have stationed there."

"That's beside the point." Smoker placed a large hand in Ace's face and shoved the younger man back. "Keep your vagrants out of my jurisdiction or I'll arrest you for obstruction of justice."

"I thought you said that you were tired of playing cops and robbers," Ace laughed as he stood up straight and joined Sanji off to the side, keeping his back to the annoyed older man. LOL

"Brat." The word was barely audible, but Smoker knew somehow it had been heard and wished like hell that he could have taken it back. Ace looked over his shoulder and gave the detective a sly grin, clearly pleased that he'd had an effect on the older man. It almost felt like things were back to the way they used to be. However, Zoro's voice snapped him out of the illusion and Smoker shook his head to clear the memories.

"Seriously, Ace, stay out of it this time. We appreciate the help keeping shit-cook's pop safe and all, but this time I need you to watch from the sidelines," Zoro tried to reason with his friend. Knowing that he'd be doing the same exact thing if he were in Ace's place, Zoro gave in to compromise. "Just stay close on the side so you can come running if we need you."

Pleased with the little bit of leeway he'd been given, Ace nodded and began gathering up his jacket and hat that were by the window from which he had entered. "You know, if you had a computer this would be easier. I would have thought with all the ones we took from your mom's office you'd have at least put one of them to use."

"I dug a couple out of the boxes when I cleaned, but I have no idea how they go together or if I even have all the parts." Zoro rubbed the back of his head as he thought about all the hardware in the corner of the spare bedroom. "Hey, Smoker, you have anyone who could come help set this stuff up?"

Smoker chewed on the end of his cigar as he tried to think of anyone in the precinct that he could trust with the location of the witness, and also his connection to Zoro. An unforgettable face popped into mind and he nodded. "I know someone. I'll send him over tomorrow."

"Good. I'll check back with you then." Ace gave Zoro a half wave before walking over to Sanji and wrapping his arms tightly around the blonde. "Trust us, and this will all be over soon."

"Thank you." Sanji sighed and tried to relax in Ace's arms but knew it would be quite some time before he could let his guard down again. He pulled back and almost leaned in for a kiss when he caught sight of jealous rage on Smoker's face. He was sure he was missing something important, but with both of them in the room, Sanji figured it would be a bad idea to ask any questions. He thought about how long Ace had pined for the man, and decided that if his friend were to have any chance at all he'd better put a little distance between he and Ace. Suddenly it hit him and Sanji finally realized why that keychain he found in Smoker's car seemed so familiar. He pushed away and took a step back, signaling for Ace to wait for him a moment. Sanji hurried back to the bedroom and dug out the metal tag, slipping it unobtrusively into Ace's front pocket when he returned. Sanji leaned in and kissed his old friend on the cheek, almost chastely. "Say hi to Marco from me."

A little disappointed, Ace nodded and slipped his hand into his pocket. His eyes widened and the smile that spread across his face was priceless. He stole a sidelong look over to where Smoker was still sitting, head turned in an obvious attempt to ignore the raven. Giddy as a child, Ace grabbed Sanji up in a crushing hug, whispering "thank you" over and over again, before releasing him and quickly darting through the window, not bothering to close it behind him.

"I have to get back to work. I'm sure Tashigi is about to call Search and Rescue because I didn't show up and haven't returned her calls." Smoker stood, stubbornly keeping his back to the fire escape as he headed for the door. "Stay away from the hospital. I know you want to see him, but the risk is too great. I'll keep you informed."

Sanji spun around toward the detective and stormed over to all but scream in the man's face. "You're saying I can't even go see my own father?"

"He's right, idiot. They're sure to have the place watched. Ace can keep people from getting to your dad, but he can't keep people from seeing you," Zoro pointed out, knowing good and well that if it were his father in the hospital, Hell nor high water could keep him away.

Understanding the logic, but not liking it one bit, Sanji backed down and turned away. He'd go along with it for now, but they couldn't keep him locked away forever. At some point, one of them would turn their back. "At least give me his room number so I can call and talk to him."

Nodding his consensus, Smoker pulled out his notepad from his jacket pocket. "He's in room 507. Give me a few hours to make sure the line is secured before you call. I don't want them to be able to trace you back here."

Sanji agreed and shook hands with the detective before the older man took his leave, a devious glint in the bright blue eyes as soon as the door closed. A loud pop echoed in the room and Sanji turned to see Zoro rotating his shoulders, grimacing slightly. The green haired man had taken a seat back on the floor again and was looking at the piece of paper with the strange batwing and skull logo. Knowing that they both had apparently been under a great amount of stress lately, Sanji wondered what Zoro usually did to relieve the tension. Seeing the way the man had been acting the last few days, Sanji was pretty sure that the only thing the brutish moron did was train, fight and sleep. The thought of him doing anything pleasurable only served to bring forth images of men sliced in half and blood soaked clothes. Sanji threw out the gruesome scene from his mind and walked back over by the couch to look down at Zoro. All the idiot needed was a good massage, and Sanji contemplating if he should even offer help the guy out. Another pop of the swordsman's joint made the decision for him.

"You sound like an old man with your bones creaking like that."

Zoro rubbed the back of his neck and shifted uncomfortably.

"Sit forward; I'll help get some of that tension out of your shoulders." Sanji circled around to the front of the couch and waited for Zoro to move.

"Keep your hands to yourself, dartboard brow. I'm fine. I don't need any help."

Sanji glared down at Zoro, ready to send him across the room with a well placed kick when he noticed the stubborn man try to covertly roll his shoulder again. Dinner still needed to be cooked, but if Zoro kept fidgeting like that, he'd never be able to concentrate. Sanji sat down on the couch and tried to push Zoro forward so he could position himself behind the larger man and have access to his back.

"What are you doing?" The green-haired man glared over his shoulder at the unwanted intruder.

"I'm baking bread," Sanji snapped. With a frustrated grunt he swung a leg up over Zoro's head so he could center himself behind the man and quickly grabbed a hold of Zoro's shoulders as he tried to get up. "Sit down and shut up."

Zoro bristled at the gruff command, but already a low moan had escaped his lips as strong fingers were working their magic; loosening knots that he didn't even know existed. Caught between the rational screaming in his head and the pleading of his body for the bliss to continue, Zoro was having a hard time trying to decide whether to go or stay. The sure hands on his shoulders began to travel up his neck, urging Zoro's head forward as they loosened the thick corded muscles. Slowly, he stopped struggling and hesitantly eased back into a more comfortable sitting position, unaware that he was now settled between the blonde's legs.

Confident hands worked their way back down, urging his body to move in order to gain access to more of his back. Zoro found himself moving before he realized it, scooting forward enough that the cook could slip down to the floor behind him. He felt the inside of Sanji's thighs brushing against his hips as the blonde situated himself. Heat emanated from the cook and Zoro could feel the puff of breath hitting the back of his neck every so often. Agile hands began working out the stiffness between his shoulder blades, pushing him a little further forward as they traveled down. Zoro closed his eyes and sighed contentedly as the pleasurable torture continued down the spine to the lower back.

Sanji's hands slid under the hem of his shirt and the contact of cool hands on his skin felt much better than they should; probably because it had been a very long time since Zoro had taken any time to give his body anything resembling gentle treatment. It had always been a strict regimen of heavy weights, balanced with endurance training and cardio, and followed up with intense sparring or actual fights. The layer of dust in the whirlpool showed how often he took the time to recuperate and repair his abused body. Zoro groaned as Sanji worked at a particularly tight knot, letting his body go slightly limp and slump forward. A nap was really sounding good right then, but unfortunately his stomach had other ideas.

Hands froze in mid-motion at the loud grumble that escaped, and Zoro fought the urge to growl back. A light flutter of fingertips down his side made him twitch, the sensation almost a tickle against his skin. He looked over his shoulder to see Sanji watching him closely, a hint of calm curiosity in the bright blue eye. A calloused thumb slowly rubbed small circles over his lower ribs and he watched intently as Sanji began leaning forward.

Mesmerized by the surreal feeling, Zoro didn't move as one of Sanji's hands circled around him and began tracing up the gnarled scar on his chest as it pulled Zoro towards the blonde. Quickly realizing what was going on, Zoro jerked away and shot to his feet, putting as much distance as he could between him and the crazy cook. He headed into the kitchen to get a drink and tried to ignore the hammering of his heart in his chest as he opened his beer.

Sanji sat on the floor, a little shocked at his own boldness with the green-haired man. He looked over to see Zoro quickly downing his first bottle before reaching in and taking out a second. It was actually surprising that Zoro had let him get as far as he did before stopping it. Sanji closed his eyes and tried to think of what it was that had caused him to make a move. Maybe it was the hopeless feeling that had been brewing within his chest since the moment he had heard about Zeff. Had Smoker not shown up, Sanji was sure that he would currently be in the bedroom screaming out Ace's name as the raven helped him forget everything that had happened; if only for a few minutes. Sanji sighed and ran a hand through his hair before getting off the floor and heading for the kitchen.

Dinner still needed to be prepared for that night, and wallowing in self pity was never an excuse to shirk out of duty. Sanji lost himself in his work, ignoring all around him as he readied the ingredients needed for the meal. It was only due to years of training and repetition that he was able to continue working in a half daze and come out unscathed. No matter how much trust he had in either Ace or Smoker, their simple words weren't enough to ease the worry that had begun to build. There was only one thing that would set his mind at ease. He needed to see his father… tonight.

-/-/-/-/-/-

Zoro continued to keep up his guard even after dinner, constantly squirming in his seat as he swore he could still feel the cook's hands all over him. The massage had felt wonderful, but it wasn't some erotic bathhouse type scenario either. It had just been two men who had nothing in common and were sitting intimately close on the floor; one with his hands on the other. OK, that sounded even worse when he thought of it that way. With an angry grunt, Zoro strode over to his home gym and decided to burn off the extra frustration with an intense workout. Through the corner of his eye, he watched as Sanji sat at the table smoking cigarette after cigarette. None of the dishes had been done and the leftover food was still sitting out. Zoro began to worry that the blonde was falling apart.

Two hours later, Zoro picked up his discarded shirt off the floor and wiped the majority of the sweat from his face. The sound of soft humming could be heard over the running water and Zoro was relieved to see that Sanji had finally gotten up from the table and was working on dishes. He tossed the shirt back down on the bench and walked into the kitchen to take his place at the blonde's side only to be kicked harshly before he could get close.

"Go take a fucking shower, Marimo. You stink."

Pissed at being kicked, though happy to get out of the chore, Zoro simply grunted and headed for the bathroom instead. Hot water rolled down his body, easing the burn in his muscles slightly as he rinsed the shampoo from his hair. A full massage would be ideal right now. Zoro's hands paused in washing as he realized he'd been just contemplating asking the blonde if he would be willing to give him one. Thinking about having another man's hand on your body while completely naked should have little or no effect on one's state of arousal, but for some reason Zoro found his body responding anyway. Caught between feeling embarrassed and horrified, he began to quickly wash; completely unsuccessful in ignoring the heavy appendage standing proud from his body.

Lack of routine sex was the only explanation Zoro could come up with for the reaction. Only in dreams had he ever found sexual pleasure with a guy, and even then it had just been manual release. In real life, Zoro's bed partners had all been women, and never once had he gone for a blonde. His taste tended to fall to the other end of the color spectrum; black, brown or even dark red. There was no way in the world that he could possibly be attracted to the nuisance currently taking up space in his apartment. His cock twitched and Zoro swore heatedly. Of all men in real life for him to react to, it had to be the one that he couldn't touch. When the case was over, the blonde would be relocated to a different life in another part of the country, just like all of the others in witness protection.

Zoro let out a humorless bark of laughter as he thought of the irony in the situation. He finally found someone who piqued his interest, only to have them unavailable to him. Guess he could only get so much luck at a time. Swinging the temperature knob to the right, Zoro's teeth chattered as the cold water hit him full force, effectively shrinking his arousal and souring his mood further. He could hear the phone ringing and hurried to turn off the water and grab a towel from the rack, wrapping it around his still dripping body as he opened the bathroom door.

"No, Franky, that's fine. I don't mind. I'll let him know as soon-"

"I'm here, shit-cook." Zoro grabbed the phone out of Sanji's hand and shook his head to rid himself of as much water as possible before putting the receiver to his ear.

"Fucker," Sanji muttered as he wiped the droplets from his face.

"What is it, Franky?" Zoro smirked at the blonde who stood there scowling at him, clearly not amused. The smile fell quickly as Zoro listened and nodded. "I'm on my way."

Sanji held his tongue, biting back the flood of insults he was about to throw, and followed Zoro down the hall to the master bedroom. He watched with building concern as Zoro pulled on clean clothes over his wet body and shoved his bare feet into an old pair of sneakers. If Sanji had known the man any better, he might have been able to recognize the expression on the larger man's face as something akin to panic, but instead Sanji was left in the dark as to what was going on.

"What happened?" Sanji finally managed to ask. He stepped in front of the doorway, blocking Zoro's exit so he could have the man's full attention. Zoro blinked a few times, as if he just realized the blonde was in the room with him, so Sanji repeated his question. "Did something happen?"

Zoro shoved Sanji out of the way. "I have to find Chimney."

"Wait, she's missing? I'll come with you." Sanji began slipping on his shoes before he was roughly grabbed by the front of the shirt and shoved against the wall, an angry swordsman nose to nose with him.

"You'll keep your sorry ass here. I've lost enough as it is." The last part was whispered as Zoro released him and headed out the front door.

-/-/-/-/-/-

It took Sanji about ten minutes to realize that he was wasting time. Digging around in Zoro's clothing, he found a pair of acceptable jeans and an old college sweatshirt along with a knit cap that would hopefully cover his blonde hair. He almost fell over when he pulled open the drawer on the nightstand and found if full of large bills, totaling several thousands of dollars. Taking a few for himself, Sanji slipped on his shoes and grabbed the black pea coat that Zoro had left on the hook by the door since his own seemed to be missing. Franky had left him with a key to the place the other day when he came by to change the locks, so Sanji locked the door behind him and walked down to the elevator. When the doors opened, he was met with the same old woman he'd seen the night he arrived at the apartment.

"Well, if it isn't Mr. Roronoa's guest." Kureha uncrossed her arms and pushed off of the wall where she had been leaning.

"Good evening." Sanji nodded to her politely and waited for her to exit before stepping into the lift. Kureha studied him intently until the doors closed, and Sanji let out a heavy sigh of relief. The woman was quite scary for some reason.

The cold wind nipped at him as he exited the building, the feel of a storm carried along with the chill. Ornate street lamps decorated the sidewalk next to the park, further adding to the charm of this part of the city. He could see a cab coming down the road and quickly hurried to hail it, thankful for his good fortune in timing. Not knowing the exact address, Sanji asked him to take him to the hospital nearest the Baratie, assuming that his old coworkers would have enough sense to get him help as soon as possible. The cabby told him it would have to be Drum Hospital and they would be there in roughly twenty minutes. Sanji held up the hundred dollar bill and told him he'd leave whole thing if the driver could get him there in ten.

He stepped out of the cab, a little green and slightly unsteady on his feet. Never would he try to ask that again. The hospital looked cold and uninviting, but he supposed that they all looked that way. It felt odd walking into a public place with his entire face showing, but if he wanted to try and remain in hiding, he needed to look as little like himself as possible. His blonde hair remained tucked under the black cap and Sanji left the oversized jacket on as he hurried over to the elevators. Visiting hours would be over soon, so he needed to get to the old man's room quickly.

Nurses paid him no mind as he casually walked down the halls on the fifth floor, looking for the wing containing the room his father was in. Sanji had just noticed the sign for the correct hall when he was roughly grabbed and yanked into a dark room. He struggled futilely, the attacker obviously knowing that his strength came from his legs as they were immediately pinned. The hand across his mouth smelled of sulfer and smoke, and the harsh whispering voice was one he would never forget.

"You idiot! You complete moron! What are you thinking? Do you _want_ to get killed?"

Sanji stopped fighting and blinked rapidly to adjust his eyes to the dimly lit storeroom. His eyes widened in surprise when he finally recognized his abductor and the hand was slowly taken from his mouth.

"Ace?"

"You're really a dumb shit, you know that?" The raven nuzzled into Sanji's neck and sighed heavily. "It's a good thing I happened to be here. I doubt that any of the others would have recognized you."

"Well, that was the whole idea." Sanji said sardonically and gently pulled out of Ace's embrace.

Ace cocked his head to the side and studied the blonde for a moment. "I thought I told you to stay put?"

"And if Whitebeard was in here, would you?" Sanji pointed out. A heavy pause hung in the air and the cook watched as Ace nodded in understanding. "Exactly. Now are you going to walk with me to the old geezer's room or are you gonna stay here and hide?"

"I'm not hiding," Ace argued petulantly as he straightened out his clothes and opened the door.

A couple nurses watched them emerge from the closet and giggled behind their hand as they tried in vain to keep from blushing. Otherwise, the two men were able to continue down to Zeff's room without gaining any unnecessary attention. When Sanji paused at the door, almost afraid to open it and see what lie beyond, Ace put a hand on his shoulder and nodded; giving him the small amount of confidence he needed to finally enter his father's room.

-/-/-/-/-

A broken leg, arm, several ribs, not to mention the bruising over ninety percent of his body; the damage done was extreme. As soon as he could get out of here, he'd make sure to repay the insolent brats their due. The creak of the door opening alerted him to the visitors that were entering, and the smell of cigarettes gave him hope of whom it might be. Zeff turned his head and opened his good eye to see the sight of his only son standing in the light of the open doorway. The relief of seeing him outweighed the annoyance he felt for the concern that filled Sanji's face, knowing that if their roles were reversed he'd probably be looking about the same.

"I was wondering when you'd show up, String-bean." Zeff closed his eyes and turned his head to face the ceiling once more to hide the emotions that threatened to show on his face. Too many nights he wondered if the boy was even alive. "If I weren't practically tied to this bed I'd get up and kick your ass for what they've done to my restaurant…TWICE. I'd dock your pay, but you're not even working for me anymore. So what are you gonna do about it?"

Zeff opened his eyes when he heard Sanji chuckle and finally took note of Ace standing behind him. "I thought I told you to stay away from my little eggplant. Don't tell me you're the one that brainless detective has protection him."

"No, I'm afraid not. I'm actually here on unrelated business," Ace said apologetically, remembering to be as respectful as possible in the presence of Sanji's father. His body hurt just remembering the last time he'd smarted off to the old man. "I only met up with Sanji in the halls and offered to walk with him."

"That'd better be all you're doing with him," Zeff warned, sitting up slightly.

"Mind your own business, you old geezer." Sanji took off his jacket and tossed it into the chair by the bed, followed by the cap. Shaking out his hair so that it fell in its normal style, he gave Ace a warning look before the raven could open his mouth. "We haven't been together for a couple years now, and you know it. In fact, you're the reason he took off in the first place."

The old cook let out a triumphant bark of laughter and smiled as he settled back into the bed, pleased that he had gotten his message across to the spitfire rogue.

"That's right. He's got a new guy now," Ace chimed in, eyes lighting up with amusement as Sanji stood there, wide eyed with surprise and his mouth hanging open in disbelief. "He's living with a guy over on the east side of town in a pretty nice apartment. I've got pictures here if you want to see them."

Zeff perked up, his disdain for the young man put aside due to curiosity, and beckoned Ace over to his side. Ace dodged Sanji's lunge and hurried over to Zeff with his phone, showing the very interested man the snapshots he had taken of the two. Never having seen the pictures before, Sanji wasn't too concerned, so he hadn't put much effort into keeping his father from seeing them, but the raised brow and then the stern look from Zeff made him wonder just what Ace had taken pictures of.

"So… This is your new _friend _huh? How long has this been going on?" Zeff turned the phone to show his confused son what he had been looking at.

Sanji began stammering, trying to come up with an explanation for why it looked like he was engaged in a heated, private moment with a tall, green-haired man. "It's not what it looks like, I swear, Dad. He's just an idiot swordsman who's supposed to be keeping an eye on me. I only met him a few days ago."

"Really? Hmmm." Zeff turned the phone back around and studied the picture intently before scowling. "You mean you're fucking around with the guy who's supposed to be protecting you, right?"

"Right… Wait, Hell no! I mean yah, he's assigned to me but we're not fucking around or doing any of that shit with each other."

Zeff looked at him skeptically as he closed the phone to hand it back to the grinning raven. "You plan on introducing me to this one, or wait until I walk in on you like last time?"

Both Ace and Sanji blushed deeply as they avoided looking at each other. That had been an embarrassing morning indeed. In fact, it wasn't long after that that he and Ace stopped seeing each other. Sanji looked up to see Ace walking back over to him and welcomed the comforting embrace, even if it didn't hold the same spark as it once used to.

"Whitebeard should be ready to leave now, so I should probably get going. I'll call you if I hear anything else." Ace reached out and ran thumb over Sanji's jaw tenderly, giving the blonde a bright smile and a wink before stepping back.

Sanji watched Ace walk out and silently thanked his ex for being there, even if he did have a habit of getting him into more trouble than he could handle. He turned around to look back at his father just in time to see the casted leg as it came into contact with his chest, at an alarmingly softer force than he was used to. Sanji watched in despair as Zeff tried to hide how much pain the action had caused him. It took everything he had to not assist the old man in situating himself back into his bed. Pride was about all that Zeff had left, and be damned if Sanji was going to take that from him.

"We've got a small lead now with the case. There's a chance that it's tied into another murder from four years ago." Sanji slipped his hand into his pocket and played with the lighter within, wishing that there wasn't an ordinance against smoking in hospitals. He leaned up against the wall across from the bed and waited for his father to get settled, concern getting harder and harder to mask. "What do you know about someone named Roronoa?"

Zeff leaned his head back and stroked his braided moustache with his only free hand, brow creased in thought. "They were in tight with the Monkey family, as well as with Smoker. Not to mention, their boy wasn't hard to recognize in that picture."

Sanji made a note to strangle Ace the next time he saw the bastard. "Not everyone believes that their death was an accident; Zoro for one."

"You've got yourself in one hell of a mess, string bean." Zeff cocked his head to the side and studied his son. "How do you plan on getting out of it?"

"I'm still working on that part." Sanji ran a hand through his hair and let out a ragged breath. "I should probably get back there before that shitty swordsman finds out I'm missing."

"Sneaking out on your guard? Didn't I teach you better than that?" Another solid hit sent Sanji tumbling across the room and into the door with a loud thud.

A muffled voice came through the door as someone on the other side tried to push it open, though with Sanji's weight against it, the door wouldn't budge. "Mr. Redleg, are you alright in there?"

"Yah, I'm fine. Just tell this sorry excuse of a man here that visiting hours are over and he needs to get his ass home," Zeff yelled back.

"Sir? Sir, I believe he's right. You need to leave now." The woman was finally able to get the door open now that Sanji had righted himself and stood there looking at both men worriedly.

Sanji rubbed the back of his head tenderly and looked up, immediately forgetting the rising bump. "Oh, forgive us my beautiful flower. It was completely wrong of me to have inconvenienced you in such a way. Allow me to take you to dinner to make up for such an atrocity."

The nurse looked at him disbelievingly, then over to Zeff who just rolled his eyes and shooed them both away. In the end, Sanji was able to convince her to give him her name and number, though he knew that he'd never call her. Still, it felt good to be somewhat back in the game again even if it was with the fairer sex. With his hair tucked back under the black cap, Sanji left Zeff's room without a backwards glance, happy to know that the report from Ace and Smoker had been correct. His father might have gotten his ass handed to him, but he was alive. A shiver went down Sanji's spine as he tried to imagine what kind of person could have been able to deal that much damage to the seasoned fighting cook. He had almost reached the elevators when a red bundle ran into him and attached to his leg, refusing to let go and almost knocking them both to the ground.

"Zo-zoro," it wailed.

The messy blonde pigtails finally registered and Sanji wrapped his arms around the child the best he could. She had probably seen the coat and assumed it was Zoro wearing it. "Shhh, Chimney, tell me what happened."

Chimney pulled back to look at him, confused at first and then broke down into tears again. "I want Zoro!"

Not knowing what was going on, but glad that the little girl was no longer lost, Sanji picked her up and headed for the nurse's station. The old woman behind the desk immediately stood up and tried to take Chimney, knowing her from the frequent visits as of late. Unfortunately, it caused the girl to cling tighter onto the cook, surprising them both.

"If you'll just show me where her uncle or aunts are, I'd be happy to drop her off there." Sanji looked around for any familiar faces and found only strangers staring back at him.

"Are you a friend of the family?" The elder nurse asked as she escorted him down another hall.

"I'm…" Sanji fought to explain how he knew them.

"He's Zoro's boyfriend," Chimney sniffled as she snuggled further into the wool jacket that was so familiar to her.

"Oh," was the only response and Sanji wished like hell that he knew where his _boyfriend_ was so he could help deal with this.

"Sanji, I'm glad you're here," Chimney whispered.

He was about to reply when the nurse opened the door to a large room and the sounds of more crying escaped. The saddened look in the nurse's eyes finally clicked and Sanji realized what was going on. Phone calls, hospital, crying; it all added up. Chimney's grandmother, Zoro's aunt, had taken a turn for the worse.

"Chimney!"

Sanji turned to see a beautiful, refined woman approach with her arms held out. Chimney immediately went to her and the crying started again. The dark haired woman mouthed her thanks to Sanji and returned to the corner of the room with Mizu and Kiwi. They motioned him over, their saddened faces winning over the logic in his head that he should get out of there before Zoro returned. Not thinking about the need to stay incognito, Sanji removed Zoro's hat and jacket, hanging them on the back of an empty chair as he joined the women on one of the couches.

"Thank you so much for looking after Chimney for us. I'm Robin, Franky's wife." The elegant woman held out her hand to Sanji, a small smile gracing her gentle features when he placed a kiss on her knuckles. "You're not what I expected."

"I would not have expected such a glorious creature such as you to be married to Franky either," he replied.

"I guess it takes opposites to attract. That could be the only explanation as to why you've taken an interest in our swordsman."

"Well, once you get past his uncouth exterior he's actually quite something." Sanji was proud at how he managed to word his opinion of the barbarian into something that could be considered a compliment without lying.

"Indeed he is. Kokoro's death will be hard for him, maybe more so than the others. She was the first person he opened up to after his parents passed. Losing her will be like losing them all over again." Robin continued to hold Chimney close as the little girl's crying dwindled down to meager sniffles.

Sanji nodded in understanding, knowing the pain he had felt in his own chest when he first heard the news about Zeff from Ace. He wondered if all of Baratie's cooks were sitting around like this, crying and worried for their boss. Throughout the room he could hear grown men sniffling like small children, as they tried to prepare for the tragedy that was soon to come. A few were sitting at small tables telling stories about younger days when they could remember Kokoro smiling, bright and happy. All of them kept an eye on the door, waiting for some sign of hope that the doctors had been wrong.

At that moment, the doors opened and two very different men walked into the room. The first was Franky, who despite the season, had on a ridiculously bright Hawaiian shirt and cargo shorts. He was crying his eyes out, and Robin handed her niece over to Mizu so she could go to his side. The second was a well know figure in the community, since after all he was the city mayor. Iceburg had on a finely tailored white pinstriped suit, looking as if he had just come from a very important meeting instead of a hospital room. Immediately he was surrounded by several workers from the shipping yards he still managed. The mayor shook his head and the news was passed on quickly.

Sanji felt his heart plummet. Fate had been cruel and taken the life of someone who meant the world to these people. Sanji watched as their world seemed to crumble around them, some falling to their knees in tears as others tried to comfort those close to them. He looked to where Franky stood, supported by his wife as he cried his heart out and wished that there was something he could do to ease his new friend's suffering. Robin opened her eyes and looked sorrowfully at him, a weak smile forced behind the trail of tears on her face. Chimney sat screaming between Mizu and Kiwi who did their best to comfort the child, but to no avail.

The cook stood there silently, feeling empty and lost. Though he didn't know the woman personally, he felt the pain of the friends he had recently made and wiped away the tear that had managed to escape onto his own cheek. He looked around again, trying to figure out why it seemed like something still missing.

"ZORO!" Chimney screamed as she kicked and fought, searching the room for her hero and savior.

Sanji looked to the twins to see if they knew where the elusive man might be, but knew from the worried looks on their faces that they didn't. Concerned about what the unstable swordsman might get himself into, Sanji grabbed his jacket and hurried to the door. He paused as he passed by Franky and Robin, patting the large man on the back gently and placing a soft kiss on his wife's cheek. Robin whispered her thanks to him and Sanji rushed out the door. If Zoro made it back to the apartment before him, it would only compound things further.

The cab ride back to the apartments was took almost the full twenty minutes as first suggested due to the heavy downpour that had started sometime while he was in the hospital. Sanji thanked the man and ran inside, wiping back his damp hair only then realizing he'd left his hat somewhere. A door down the hall opened and out stepped a rough looking man with ashen skin and black hair. His eyes met with Sanji's for a moment before the lift doors opened and the blonde hurried inside.

The apartment was empty, no sign of anyone being there since Sanji had left a few hours ago, so the blonde quickly hung up the jacket and changed into a pair of comfortable sweats. Knowing that Zoro would be distraught when he came home Sanji decided to sit on the couch reading while he waited for the man to finally show up. He might not be able to do much, but at least he could be here. Mourning alone only brought more pain and suffering.

-/-/-/-/-/-

There was a heavy pounding on the door that woke Sanji from his sleep and sent the book he was reading to the floor, effectively losing his place. The pounding came again, accompanied by a muffled voice asking if anyone was home. Tentatively, Sanji looked through the peephole and sighed in relief when he saw the uniformed officer. Not wanting to get overconfident, he opened the door with the safety chain still attached.

"Can I help you, officer?"

"Does this belong to you?" The annoyed policeman asked and kicked something down on the floor.

Sanji looked the best he could through the small opening and gasped in surprise at the disheveled figure covered in dirt and blood. He shut the door quickly and finished unlocking it so it could be opened fully. "Holy shit, what happened?"

"We're not sure, but Detective Smoker told us to bring him here."

Sanji nodded, not bothering to say thank you, and bent down to pick Zoro up off the floor. The stench of alcohol and something akin to a dumpster wafted off of him and curdled Sanji's stomach, making it difficult to get the unconscious man inside. Once the door was secured again, Sanji grabbed a hold of Zoro by the ankles and dragged him down the hall to the bathroom, making a mental note to scrub the floors with bleach water the next day.

What little Sanji knew of Zoro was enough to piece together a rough guess on the events that had brought the man to this end. It seemed like every time Zoro got upset, he went to fight or train, so the cuts and bruises weren't of too much concern. However, what worried Sanji the most was just how much alcohol it had taken to get the idiot this fucked up.

Sanji pulled off the soggy shoes and tossed them into the sink so he could take them to the trash when they were done. The rain had soaked through all of Zoro's clothes, making it difficult to get them off though Sanji had a feeling it had helped wash away at least a little of the muck the swordsman had been rolling in. Sanji wrinkled his nose as he looked down at his own clothes, streaked with grime and soaked in spots. Knowing that Zoro couldn't stand on his own, he went ahead and removed his own clothes, and was about to turn on the shower when Zoro began to groan as he rolled over to his side. Quickly, Sanji helped him to his knees and leaned him over the toilet, barely getting the sick man in a decent position in time. When he was finished vomiting, Zoro turned his head to look at the blonde.

"W're you n'ked?"

"Because I had to help you get out of your clothes and ended up getting all that shit all over me."

Zoro nodded, but the motion caused him to grab his stomach and begin throwing up again. Sanji helped to balance him and gently ran a hand over his back in comfort. He reached back and turned on the water in the shower when he was fairly sure that the vomiting stopped, and helped Zoro to his feet.

"Y're goin' wi' me?" Zoro asked in disbelief as he looked at both of their naked bodies.

"Someone needs to make sure you don't fall down and kill yourself," Sanji answered as if he were talking to a small child who just didn't understand the situation.

Together they stepped into the tepid water and Zoro leaned against the wall as he allowed the blonde to wash the gritty substance from his hair. When he was done, Sanji guided him back into the spray, taking care to keep the soap from getting into the man's mouth. Dark, almost black eyes watched him as he continued to soap up Zoro's body; checking each cut and scrape to see if anything was worth concern. A hand reached up and cupped Sanji's jaw, using just enough pressure to get the blonde to look up and meet his eyes.

"You're leavin too. E'ryone's leavin me."

The desperate look in Zoro's face tore through Sanji's demeanor and he pulled the larger man into his arms and held him tight. "They only truly leave if we forget them."

Thick arms returned the embrace and Sanji ignored the feeling of slightly warmer beads of moisture that hit his shoulder where the green-haired man's head lay. Memories of a time long ago surfaced and Sanji continued to gently caress Zoro's back as he silently offered his condolences for Zoro's loss. They stood there entwined beneath twin sprays of water as Zoro cried in the shelter of Sanji's embrace. When his hands started to prune, Sanji turned off the water and grabbed a towel, drying them both as much as possible. Tomorrow would be a new day, and the words and actions of tonight would be lost in the inevitable hangover he was sure Zoro would suffer.

After getting Zoro into bed, Sanji stood at the window looking up at the few visible stars in the city and sent up his prayers of thanks to any god who would listen that he had not lost his father this time. He ran a hand over the family picture on the wall and made a promise to the man and woman looking back at him that he would do everything in his power to help find the persons responsible for their death so that all of them could rest in peace. Sleep didn't come easy for him that night, haunting laughs and strange shadows chasing him each time his eyes closed.


	10. Chapter 10

A/N: seriously... i'm really, really sorry. SEE!!! I've been working on this. I didn't forget to work, I just suck at remembering to post to FF as well as LJ. I hope you guys can find it in your fanfic hearts to forgive me.

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Leaving It All Behind Chapter 10

He reached up and slapped the alarm for the third time in less than a minute. Why would the blasted thing not turn off? A slender arm reached over him and picked the phone up off the nightstand before holding it in front of his nose. Oh. It wasn't the alarm after all.

"Hello?"

"_It's about time you answer your phone. I need you to do some computer work today,"_ the voice on the other end snapped.

"D-detective Smoker… but it's my day off," Usopp stuttered as he finished waking up abruptly.

"_Consider this a job hazard. I need you to go over to Sandalwood Towers, apartment 3C."_

"Oh no, don't tell me he's actually killed someone…"

"_What?"_

"Well, he has been a little off lately."

"_What are you talking about?"_

"Um… Nothing?"

"_Good. Get your ass over there and hook up the damn computer. It's a sensitive operation, so make sure_ _to keep it low key. That means you go alone and tell no one what you see or hear. Understood?"_

"Of course!" Usopp winced as the receiver was slammed down in his ear, the abrupt ending of the call transferring the detective's annoyance to the worried policeman. Warm arms wrapped around him and a light kiss was placed on his neck as his girlfriend snuggled against him. "I'm sorry, Kaya, but I have to go in to work for a little while today. For some strange reason I have to go hook up a computer for Zoro."

"Maybe the detective has him working undercover on something. Remember, you and Luffy have always suspected Zoro of working for the police." Kaya gave him a squeeze before getting out of bed and slipping on her robe. "Hurry up and get dressed. I'll have Merry fix us some breakfast."

Her words kept echoing in his mind as Usopp sought out the pieces of his uniform from around the room. Curiosity finally took hold and he began to concoct stories in his mind to explain the need for such secrecy; his favorite being that Zoro was deep undercover and needed to have a way to send messages to his contact without being detected. Unable to keep from feeling giddy at the thought of being included in such a conspiracy, Usopp began making a list in his mind of all the tools he might need to stop and pick up on the way, or pieces of hardware for wireless connection to whatever satellite signal he might need. When he got to twenty-three items he needed to gather, Usopp decided it was time to start writing things down before he forgot.

By the time Usopp had eaten breakfast, stopped at his own apartment, and then gone to the electronics store, almost two hours had passed since the detective had called. The young man tripped over his feet trying to run into the apartment building, his arms laden down with boxes of computer equipment and wiring. One of the other tenants had seen him coming and was kind enough to hold open the door for him, even pushing the button for the elevator as well before they left. Usopp thanked them profusely and shifted anxiously as he waited for the lift doors to open. By the time he had arrived at Zoro's apartment, he was a nervous wreck. He awkwardly shifted things around and managed to get a few fingers free to knock on the door, certain that his ultimate doom lie on the other side.

-/-/-/-/-/-

Zoro opened his eyes slowly, the act almost as strenuous as lifting heavy weights. The curtains had been pulled, reducing the bright sunlight that usually filtered into the room during the early hours. He groaned as he turned his head to look at the clock and tried to remember exactly how he got to where he was in the first place. The memories of Kokoro's death came rushing back into his mind, dealing a crushing blow to his heart. He remembered her rough voice demanding he promise to live again and find a reason to go on. Zoro ran a hand over his face and closed his eyes. The sheets shifted across his naked body, reminding him of what else had happened last night.

Anger began to fill him as he thought about how the shitty bastard had taken advantage of him in his incapacitated state. Had he been sober, there was no way that Zoro would have allowed the blonde to do any of those things. Then again, if he had been sober he wouldn't have been brought home by the police covered in filth from fighting in an alley behind some unknown bar after getting totally hammered. Zoro flung off the covers and pulled himself out of bed to go in search of the irritating cook.

-/-/-/-/-/-

Again Usopp knocked on the door, this time using his boot so he wouldn't have to set down the cumbersome burden in his arms. He sighed in relief when he heard the shuffling of feet approaching the door.

"Zoro! Open up. I came to hook up that computer you were talking about," Usopp called out. Locks turned and the door swung open, revealing the last person he expected to ever see again. "Sanji?"

"Usopp? What are you doing here?" Sanji reached out and took the top box from the stack and moved aside so Usopp could enter the apartment.

"Detective Smoker sent me over to hook up Zoro's new computer. What are you… Wait! You're the reason he said to keep quiet. It all makes sense now. Well, parts of it make sense."

"Oi, longnose, keep it down." Zoro stumbled from his bedroom holding his head in one hand and his t-shirt with the other. The glare he sent the blonde was enough to have Usopp quaking in his shoes. "If you ever pull that shit you did last night again, they'll never find your body. Oh, and Robin said to tell you thanks for being there."

Sanji stiffened, knowing that his clean getaway wasn't as spotless as he had thought. "At least I'm better than you. You came home last night smelling like you'd taken a bath in whiskey and shit."

"Um…" Usopp shifted nervously as the two men continued their glaring contest, his small noise enough to remind Zoro of his presence.

"Why are you here?" Zoro slipped the shirt over his head, thankful that his headache was already starting to subside.

"He's the computer guy that Smoker said he was gonna send over," Sanji said, taking the last box from the nervous man and setting it next to the other on the table.

Usopp blinked a few times at his empty hands and began to look around. He'd heard the story from Luffy about how clean the place was, but seeing it in person was a different matter. Something strange was definitely going on here. The place was almost spotless, and the family picture on the wall brought back a flood of memories. It was then that he noticed Sanji walking around the place like he knew where everything was, and even wearing Zoro's clothes; the distinguishable logo wasn't hard to recognize. All previous theories were thrown out the window as Usopp tried to account for the added factor that had been previously missed.

"I don't see why we need to do that. The phone works just fine," Zoro grumbled as he began searching through the cabinets for something. "I'm not sure that any of that stuff is even usable anymore. It's at least four years old now."

"Yah, but your mom always had equipment that was way beyond what the public had access to, so I'm sure it's about average now." It was easy to tell that the long-nosed man highly admired and respected the deceased woman. "I just hope I can get past her security on it."

Sanji finally got annoyed enough with Zoro destroying what semblance he had restored to the kitchen and pulled out the can of coffee from the freezer, shoving it into Zoro's chest before walking over to stand next to Usopp. He didn't know much about the guy, and even though Smoker himself had sent him over, Sanji felt the need to reiterate the need for silence about his presence in the apartment.

"You know that if you tell anyone I'm here, we'll have to kill you." Sanji spoke in low tones as he pulled out a cigarette and lit it slowly. He almost felt bad for issuing such a harsh threat, but after the initial terror passed in Usopp's eyes, the spark of adventure left behind said he was well aware and loving every minute of it. "So, how do you know cabbage head over there?"

"Zoro? Well, he's Smoker's godson for one, and then he's good friends with Luffy who's my best friend. We all get together a couple times a month for dinner and such. Luffy comes over here all the time, usually to con Zoro into taking him out to eat." Usopp began to relax slightly, wondering why such a high profile witness had been stashed in such an open spot. There was no question in his mind that Zoro could protect him, better than anyone else probably, but Zoro wasn't exactly known for his hospitality. "Are you and Zoro old friends?"

Sanji thought for a moment, trying to decide if he should go with the same response he'd given all of Zoro's other friends or not. Usopp did know the truth about him being in protective custody but the detective had told him to lie at all costs. "Smoker thought that I'd be safe here for a while so he agreed to let me crash with Zoro for a couple weeks. Besides, it's not as if we're complete strangers."

"Oh, ok." Usopp nodded, the explanation making sense to him; until he put two and two together and came up with Zoro in a relationship with another man. His eyes widened to comical proportions and his hand twitched as he had to keep it from flying to his cell phone and dialing every number he could think of.

When the coffee began brewing, Sanji muttered several curses and went to rescue the coveted morning drink from Zoro's brutality. He poured it into a separate carafe and ran another full pot of water through the coffee grounds, this time getting the flavor a little closer to something they all might be able to drink. Seeing that Usopp would probably be here for a while, Sanji decided to go ahead and start on something for lunch. The heated looks he continued to get from Zoro said that the events of last night remained clear in his mind and the green-haired man was not at all happy with them.

-/-/-/-/-

Sanji continued to give Zoro sidelong glances as he watched the swordsman sit in the middle of the living room; eyes closed, legs crossed and blank mask covering his face as he sat in meditation. The cook worried greatly about his guardian, if only for the fact that if Zoro broke, Sanji would be left somewhat vulnerable again. Losing someone close was something Sanji hadn't the misfortune to experience since childhood, but the pain he had felt in his chest when Ace told him that the Baratie had been attacked again was as close as he wanted to get. One day he'd have to plan the old geezer's funeral, but thankfully not today. Another look to the statuesque man and Sanji gave in, gently setting aside the bread to rise before joining Zoro on the floor as he tried to find inner peace.

The feeling of another presence settling to his right caught Zoro off guard, almost enough cause him to give in to the urge to crack open his eyes and investigate. The smell of nicotine and yeast was more than enough to identify the _intruder_, though the term just didn't seem to fit anymore. An intruder would be an unwelcome person, but rather than feeling anger Zoro felt an almost kindred spirit entwining with his own as their heartbeats slowed; mimicking each other in a rhythmic pattern.

Last night's intimate liberties began to fade into mere irritations as Zoro remembered the painstaking tenderness that Sanji had used when helping him get clean. Anyone else would have just dumped him in the bath and ran some cold water over him, leaving Zoro to sleep off the alcohol in wet clothes. Instead, Sanji had held him close and whispered words of condolence, never once making any unnecessary moves in getting Zoro into bed. Had their roles been reversed, Zoro knew he wouldn't have been able to do the same for the blonde. Somehow now Sanji's actions didn't seem quite as violating as they did when Zoro first woke up; not that he wanted it to happen again or anything.

Anger faded, and finally Zoro could feel balance returning. The pain of his aunt's death eased, as if it were being pulled from him; coaxing him to accept what had happened, no matter how much it hurt. Peace began to settle around him, his ki flowing gently through his body once more as Zoro silently thanked the blonde for his presence.

Usopp came out of the back of the apartment with cables and wires hung around his neck and different tools stuck in various pockets. He was looking through a stack of discs, mumbling to himself as he stumbled into the kitchen for a drink. The silence itself wasn't unusual in Zoro's place, but there was an odd hum to the atmosphere that he just couldn't quite place. Turning around slowly, Usopp was shocked to see the two men in similar poses on the floor; their expressions peaceful for the first time in what felt like forever. As quietly as he possibly could, Usopp made his way back to his project with a pleased smile on his face.

-/-/-/-/-/-

After a short discussion, they had decided that the best place to set everything up was the spare room, since it had a desk and would be out of the way if anyone did happen to show up. Zoro had no desire to explain to any visitors why he finally set the equipment up after it being boxed for so long. Usopp took his time hooking things up properly and was grateful that all three laptops booted properly, but none of them seemed to accept any command overrides, no matter how hard he tried to hack into them. When done with his meditation, Zoro offered up every possible password he could think of and even brought out the journal his father had written just in case. It wasn't until they happened to connect the microphone to one of them that anything positive happened.

"_Waiting for voice authorization." _The sound of the electronic voice startled the three of them.

"Voice authorization? Ugh… this might take a while. Unless you happen to have a digital recording of your mom." Usopp looked up at Zoro standing over him, hopeful but not expecting to get what he asked for.

Zoro shook his head and sighed heavily as he sat down on the bed. "Forget it."

"_Voice recognized. Zoro Roronoa. Awaiting connection to main server."_ The computer screen flashed to a faded red background with a white roman numeral ten in the middle.

"What just happened?" Sanji appeared in the door holding a tray of cold drinks, which Usopp gratefully accepted.

"I plugged in a microphone to one of the laptops and it accepted Zoro's voice for authorization. Now I just have to find a way to connect it to the right server and hopefully we'll find out what's so important on here that she's gone through all this trouble to keep it safe." Usopp began looking in the box of cables again and pulled out two more microphones. "Hey Zoro, let's see if the others will boot up the same way."

A few seconds later Usopp had both mics hooked up and waited quietly for Zoro to realize he was done. The swordsman continued to sit there in silence, lost in his own thoughts until Sanji walked over to the bed and sat down next to him.

.

"Back-off, shit-cook," Zoro warned.

"_Voice recognized. Zoro Roronoa. Awaiting connection to main server," _both computers chimed out.

"Yeah! Now let's see if we can get this thing online." Usopp began digging around in the equipment he had brought with him. "It's a good thing that I thought to bring some of this stuff with me. None of these are wireless. I'll hook up mine and get signal, then send it through the router to the others…"

Usopp rambled on while he worked, none of what he said making any sense to the other two men in the room. As soon as the connection had been established, the laptops came to life and began flashing strange images and kanji across the screen. When they finally stopped, the men stared at the screens, trying to make sense of what was on them.

"I don't get it," Usopp confessed.

"Me either," Sanji agreed as he looked back and forth at the symbols. "What language is it anyway?"

"It's a Japanese haiku by Basho; one of my father's favorites." Zoro's eyes remained focused as he studied the words. Each screen held a different segment, and it had been years since Zoro read the poem. "I could never remember the order in which it read in Japanese, but in English it says 'summer grasses, all that remain, of the warrior's dream.'_ "_

_The words faded away and Sarah appeared on each screen. She stared out at them with a radiant smile on her face, though her eyes were full of sadness. Usopp had tears in his eyes and it wasn't hard to tell he had known the woman well. Zoro, however sat there stunned, unmoving, and completely silent. Sanji looked back and forth between she and Zoro, wondering how someone as rough as he came from such an earthly beauty. The laptops each showed a different angle of her face, all in perfect sequence though the voice that called out them came only from the center one._

"_Hello, baby. It's been a long time."_

"Mom?" Zoro whispered.

"_I wish that I could be happy that you have activated this journal, but since this is the last entry, I can only assume the worst. I should have listened to your father and not accepted that interview."_

"What is she talking about?" Usopp looked over to Zoro for clarification.

"She was one her way to meet up with the corporate heads for a new project when her plane crashed," he answered, as if in a trance.

"_I didn't take the entire design with me just in case it was a poor investment, but what part I did take will be useless without the rest. I actually developed it for you. It was to be a present for your twenty-first birthday. You always were so hard to buy for. Even Kuina had a hard time buying you gifts, and she knew you better than us." _Sarah's laughter filled the room, happy and light. Only a moment later, her face sobered and took on a more serious look._ "The reason I have recorded this for you is because of the threats I have been receiving recently, or more precisely the demands for my research. I knew that if something happened to me, you and your father would insist on extracting revenge, and I didn't want you to go on a rampage killing innocent people in the process."_

Usopp gulped hard as he remembered the bloody matches that none of them thought Zoro would live through. Zoro, on the other hand, was shaking with anger at the new information he was receiving about his mother's death. His father had joined her on the flight last minute, thinking that she was nervous about the interview and wanting to be there with her for support. But, because his mother hadn't spoke up about the threats, both of them were dead. Killed for a scrap of knowledge that was supposed to be his birthday present. Whatever it turned out to be, he'd already decided he would hate it with his entire being.

"_I'm hoping that you and Cutty Flam will finish the project for me. Don't let it go to waste, Zoro. It's all there is left of me in the world." _Sara wiped a tear from her face as she visibly tried to compose herself. She seemed to look directly at Zoro when she spoke again. _"I've included all the information I should have given you before. Make sure to get it to Garp for me, assuming he's in charge of the case. I know how important revenge is to your father, but please promise me you'll look after him. Don't let him do anything rash. You're all he has left, Zoro. I love you both so much."_

The screen faded to black before the e-mail program opened, showing a collection of invitations and demands in the inbox, all signed with a large M at the end. Finally after the messages finished loading, photographs began to appear of envelopes and their contents. There were snapshots of Zoro and his father in everyday activities, and even a few of Zoro during his tournament with Mihawk, followed by letters with threats of harm to both of them should Sarah not comply. Had she shown this to them earlier they could have protected her, preventing this disaster from happening altogether.

"You okay, Zoro?" Usopp asked softly.

"Hn." Zoro finally tore his eyes from the information to look around and laid his eyes on the rest of computer equipment. "Usopp, hook up a printer and print this stuff out for me, then put it on disc so I can give it to Smoker."

"I could e-mail it to him," Usopp offered.

"No. He's having problems with information leaks still, so I can't trust it to be safe that way." Zoro stood and walked out of the room, down to his own bedroom before coming to a dead stop. Without turning to acknowledge the man at his back, Zoro began to speak. "It's like I've just lost her all over again."

"Hn," Sanji murmured in reply, knowing there was nothing he could say to ease the situation.

Zoro's cell rang, and he put it to his ear without saying a word. A somewhat affirmative grunt and he closed it before setting the phone down on the dresser as he dug for something. He pulled out a black outfit and threw it over his shoulder before grabbing clean socks. They were barely on his feet before he headed for the living room and began packing things into a gym bag. As soon as his swords were tucked safely in their case, both bamboo and steel, Zoro slid on his boots and headed for the door. Sanji stepped up beside him as Zoro opened it and their eyes met. Though he was still leery of the blonde after taking such personal liberties the night before, he was also thankful for the bastard's presence in his life. Had it not been for Sanji and the job of protecting him, Zoro would have probably gotten rid of the computers and never known about the events before his mother's death. Now, with the clues taken from the watermark and the letters on Sarah's computer, he was two steps closer to justice. His dark eyes hardened with resolve as he nodded slightly to Sanji, surprised when he saw his determination reflected in the visible blue eye. He might not be doing this with his father, like his mother had assumed, but at least he wasn't doing it alone.

"Keep your ass inside this time shit-cook."

"Try to come back in one piece, Marimo," Sanji shot back.

With a huff of amusement, Zoro grabbed his black jacket before closing the door behind him. His sensei had called to remind him of his work schedule and that if he didn't come in, Zoro could forget that he ever worked at all. The information revealed by his mother was still burning in his mind, but at least he would be able to take out a small amount of his frustration on the students. Hopefully Johnny and Yosaku would be there for him to spar with afterward. A glance back to the apartment before the lift opened reminded him that if nothing else, there was a fairly apt blonde he was sure he could agitate enough to take the edge off.

-/-/-/-/-/-

Usopp came out of the bedroom carrying a disc and looking around for his friend. "Did he leave already?"

"Looks like it's just you and me kid," Sanji said as he nodded from his relaxed position on the couch, freshly lit cigarette in hand. "At least this time we don't have to worry about suddenly getting attacked."

The words had no sooner left his mouth when the front door slammed open and someone came flying across to land directly atop Usopp, knocking the poor man to the ground. Both he and Sanji screamed, the blonde hitting the floor hard as he fell off the couch.

"USOPP! How come you didn't tell me you were coming over here? We always come over here together. I saw Zoro leaving the parking lot, but he was driving too fast for me to catch up with. Then I saw that your car was still here so I came up and decided to surprise you. Jigorou was in the hall being a complete ass, but then he walked right into that old bat who lives in 1F and boy did she let him have it. No one gets by her." Luffy began bouncing on his friend's stomach as the color began to return to Usopp's face. "So are you done here? Have you finished with Zoro's computer? Kaya said Smoky asked you to come over and hook it up for him."

A frustrated groan from the other side of the couch caught Luffy's attention. His curiosity got the better of him and Luffy crawled over to peek around the worn, stuffed leather. The blonde on the floor sat up rubbing his forehead and muttering. Luffy's eyes sparkled with glee when the hand was removed and he recognized his brother's old lover.

"Sanji! What are you doing here? Are you going to make us something to eat? I've missed your cooking. Did you make Zoro clean up? How come I didn't see you the other morning when I was here? Were you at work?" Luffy climbed up on the arm of the couch and waited impatiently for Sanji to respond.

"Hey there Luffy; long time, no see." Sanji smiled sincerely up at the elated face of his old friend. He wondered how many more people from his past would show up in this apartment, connecting him even more with the green-haired buffoon. There were too many coincidences for things to feel natural now, and not even fate could be used to explain what was happening. Sanji took a deep cleansing breath before standing up and ruffled Luffy's hair as he headed for the kitchen. If all else fails, fall back on what you do best. "I doubt that shitty bastard has enough food in this house to sate you, but let's see what we can find for dinner."

Luffy's whoop echoed around them as he bounded after the blonde, never faltering in his excitement as he grabbed the phone that had just started to ring, much to Sanji and Usopp's dismay.

"Zoro's place." Luffy chirped, his grin staying firmly in place as he listened to the voice on the other end. "Oh hey Smokey. No, Zoro's not here… I'm not sure. You want me to ask Sanji?... His boyfriend… Yah? … Ummm okaaay… Bye!" Luffy hung up the phone and smiled up at Sanji innocently, the look promising disaster in huge proportions. "Smokey said that he'll kill the two of you later."

"Of course he will. Hey Luffy, what's the story behind him and your brother?" Sanji's voice became lost under Luffy's overzealous storytelling as the cook rummaged for something to pacify the giddy young man.

"Oh no, Detective Smoker's gonna kill me, too," Usopp whimpered as he watched Luffy bounce around Sanji in the kitchen, the blonde appearing completely clueless to the catastrophe ahead.

-/-/-/-/-/-

The large meeting hall was beginning to fill, men and women of various shapes and sizes seeming to materialize from the shadows as they took their seats at the long table. A delicate blonde woman, face and body littered with scars, came to stand behind the seat at the right of the head of the table. She waited with due diligence for her companion to arrive, blank yet sad eyes staring off into nothing. Cindry did as little as possible to draw any more attention to herself, though the action was pointless; no one seemed to pay her any mind to begin with.

Tonight would be the first time that all of them would be together in almost two years, and it was already promising to be an interesting evening. The reason for the summons was still unknown, but everyone had their suspicions. When the door at the end of the room was thrown open, a hush fell across them as each member of the crew watched their leader walk to his place of honor at the head of the table. His loud voice echoed up to the rafters as he slammed his hand on the table to call attention.

"Is everyone here? Ki shi shi shi." Geko Moria reclined back in his seat and looked out over the men and women seated in front of him. Several empty chairs caught his attention and he looked to the nervous man on his left for answers. "We seem to be a few short."

"Ah, yes. It seems that Perona took a hit and was captured a few days ago. Her partner Bearmy was killed. Several of Captain John's generals were taken into custody as well. The only ones left now are present and accounted for." The short round man with beady eyes and long fanglike canines wiped the sweat from his brow as he read the list on the clipboard in his hands. "There are three available assassins now, a few dozen footmen and a couple of informants. Fortunately our feed into the police database is still operational although I don't know the progress on the software."

"Hn." Moria laced his fingers together over his chest as he reclined back, the frown on his face deepening as he mulled over the update. "I hope you bring me better news than Hildon, Dr. Hogback."

"Fosh, fosh, fosh! Indeed I do, Master Moria." The portly doctor held his hand out, and turned to look coldly at the blonde standing behind him when nothing was given. "Cindry, you wretched girl, give me the computer."

The laptop slapped him in the face as the annoyed woman shoved the electronic device at Hogback. The doctor snarled at her but held his tongue as he set the computer down and opened it up. In a few clicks, he opened the necessary files and connected to the large monitor mounted on the side wall. Everyone turned in their seats for a better view and waited anxiously for any good news that might be reported. Ooh's and aah's escaped as they took in the pictures on the screen.

"As you can see, I've made some modifications to the original design. Strength and speed have been increased, though we are still working on agility. The endoskeleton is holding up perfectly and our skin grafting research is showing promise. In all, project Oz is coming along nicely." Hogback brought up several different pictures, each a more disturbing level of medical debauchery than the last. They showed different stages of a creature of some sort, being constructed of bone and metal then covered in multiple patches of skin, obviously from different donors. In one, you could see the flesh being ripped off of an apparently still living man to use to cover an open section on Oz's chest. "Unfortunately, our biggest problem lies in the intelligence. So far all we can get him to do is walk or run into things. Cognitive thinking is our main focus, and I have some breaking research that I am anxious to get to work on as soon as possible, fosh, fosh, fosh."

More slides passed across the screen showing different testing stages of the large, somewhat man shaped beast. The creature stood half again as tall as an average man, though its skin looked more like the patchwork on a crazy quilt. Just looking at the thing you could tell the massive level of destruction it would be capable of, if it had any intelligence. Once that was obtained, the robotic warrior would be almost unstoppable.

"Soon my soldier will be ready, and I can proceed with my plans, ki shi shi shi shi," Moria exclaimed, clearly overjoyed with the update. Others joined him in laughter, some of the earlier tension finally dissipating with the Boss' good mood. When everyone quieted down, Moria began to tap his forefingers together as he appeared to be deep in thought. "Hogback, tell me how it goes with the search for the little rat. Once we have him taken care of, there will be no one left to oppose us."

"While it was unfortunate that Perona was lost, her sacrifice was not in vain. We were able to discern that the one we are looking for is under the care of our very own Detective Smoker." Hogback knew giving Moria too much information could jeopardize his operation, but not giving the man any would be suicide. "I have already ordered Absalom to-"

"No."

"Sir?" Hogback questioned, a nervous tic starting at his temple.

"I believe it is time for our samurai to earn his keep. Ryuuma will handle the blonde, understood?"

"Of course, Master." The aging swordsman stepped out of the shadows to stand just behind Moria; his stoic façade masking any emotion the man might have felt.

"We will not stand for it! This was supposed to be our fight, our kill. He cannot take what belongs to us." Absalom stood quickly, knocking his chair out behind him and slamming his fists on the table. "Look what happened at the last job. How can we send in someone we barely know to do something of such importance?"

"What happened with Perona is unfortunate indeed, Absalom. Her loss though is her own mistake. She was told to be careful." Hogback intervened, trying to keep things from getting out of control. "Ryuuma has proven himself very worthy, and should the need arise I am sure he will call upon you for assistance."

Absalom snorted in disgust and disbelief as he turned his back on the room. A light "chink" was heard and a breeze rustled the edges of his coat before the blonde realized what had happened. He inclined his head to look up at the tall man before him and felt the top half of his beloved hat fall to the floor.

"It is disrespectful to leave a meeting before being dismissed." Ryuuma's voice was smooth, even, and commanding respect, just like his movements as he dodged the rabid onslaught of attacks from Absalom.

/-/-/-/-/-/

Sanji rubbed at his temples, trying to ease the headache that always seemed to come when dealing with Luffy for long periods. He wondered how long Zoro's shift was at work and if he should make dinner for one or two. Being by himself so much was actually starting to get on his nerves and for a brief moment, he thought about calling Smoker to tell the short tempered detective he'd been left alone. The stiffness in his muscles finally helped Sanji make his decision, and the blonde headed into the kitchen to put on a pot of coffee. While it brewed, he could take the time to do some long missed exercise of his own.

The couch and chair were pushed further from the center, since the coffee table was already removed, and made an area wide enough to do stretches and basic warm-ups, but nothing extravagant. There was an iPod docked into the surround sound system, and the cook took the liberty to look through the playlists to see if he could find something that caught his interest. "Workout" was selected and Sanji sat in the middle of the rug to begin. He groaned a little at the tightness in his legs, silently chiding himself for foregoing this simple task for so long. The brief spat with Zoro the other day showed him how much he was out of practice, so why had he waited so long before starting this again? Oh yah, maybe it had something to do with him running for his life every other day. Sanji forced his circumstance out of his mind as he continued with his regimen.

-/-/-/-/-/-

He put his ear to the door again and listened hard. There it was again. That thumping noise and music had been going for almost two hours now. It sounded like the crappy stuff normally played around this time, but no one should be home right now. He himself had seen the car leave, and checked periodically to make sure the occupant of the apartment hadn't been brought home by anyone. So who in the world was in there? Jigorou scowled as he tried to figure it out.

Curiosity finally got the better of him and he pulled a ring of keys out of his pocket. It turned to anger when the appropriately marked key didn't fit the lock. This was now a matter of breach of lease contract, and the superintendant took great pleasure in pulling out a lock pick in order to gain access to the apartment. Jigorou was so focused on the task at hand, that he never noticed the music stop or the presence waiting on the other side of the door. With a malicious snicker, Jigorou felt the lock give way and he quietly pushed the door open to enter. What met him was far from what he could have ever imagined.

"Ace, just knock… Who the fuck?"

A bare foot connected with his face, cracking his jaw and sending him flying back out into the hall. Jigorou blinked twice to clear his vision, just in time to see the second attack. He blocked it with his forearm and lashed out in return, intent on not letting the assailant have another chance. The super swung hard and managed to plant his fist into the man's gut, giving him enough time to right himself before another kick was aimed at his chest. Arms crossed in front of him, he took the impact with a grunt and finally was able to get a look at the devil that had emerged from Roronoa's apartment. Blonde hair shadowed most of his face, but a single blue eye glared at him, full of hate. Although his features were distorted with rage, Jigorou recognized him from last night in the lobby. He wondered how long the man had been living here without his knowledge. His hesitation cost him, and the blonde managed to land another blow to his face, this time breaking his nose and splattering blood across the hallway. Jigorou fell against the wall and slid down, grabbing his face with one hand and looking up to see an extremely pissed off blonde looming over him.

"Who the hell are you? What kind of shit is this? You're breaking in, in the middle of the fucking morning? You've either got balls of steal or shit for brains, asshole. You're lucky I'm in a good mood, or I'd give-"

"Hey, shit-cook, what are you doing?" Zoro stepped off the lift to see Sanji standing half naked in the middle of the hallway, covered in sweat and looking angry as hell. On the floor, dazed and confused, sat the semi-bloody superintendant of the apartment building looking back and forth between the men as he tried to figure out what was going on. The green haired man sported a new cut to his temple and looked very tired, but otherwise ready to fight.

"I've been receiving a lot of complaints about the noise in your apartment, Roronoa. That combined with the changing of the locks and someone who is not on the lease living here is all I need to evict you. In fact, I think I will." Jigorou pulled his hand away and winced at the amount of blood on it. "I'll be charging your _friend_ with assault as well."

Sanji's ankle was caught mid-air, just inches from having his foot connect with Jogorou's face again. The blonde glared at Zoro's hand then back to the swordsman who gave him a warning look.

"Way to keep out of sight, shithead," Zoro grumbled as he used his grip on Sanji's ankle to force the blonde back into the apartment. Once Sanji was inside, Zoro turned to face the other man, who had finally managed to gain his footing again. "Go fuck yourself, Jigorou and try to throw me out, I dare you. I gave a spare key to the owner of the building, and I know for a fact that there weren't any complaints." Zoro glanced over to the thin pieces of metal scattered on the floor by the doorway, his face darkening as he put two and two together. "Stay the fuck out of my home, or next time it will be a sword and not a foot that connects with your head."

Zoro stepped back into his apartment, keeping an eye on Jigorou until the door was closed between them. As soon as the latch clicked, he slid the safety bolt into place and leaned his head against the doorframe. He took a couple deep breaths before standing straight and turning around to look at the blonde.

"You okay?"

Sanji clasped his hands together in front of his chest and smiled sweetly. "Yes dear, and how was your day?"

The swordsman stared at him blankly for a moment, the sarcasm not sinking in right away. When it did, Zoro was torn between being pissed for Sanji teasing him, and embarrassed at the stupidity of his own question. In an effort to save face, Zoro decided to ignore the comment and focus instead on putting away his coat and swords, fiddling with this and that until he heard the bathroom door shut and the shower turn on.

Remembering that he had forgotten his phone earlier, Zoro began searching for the elusive device. After ten minutes, he finally gave up and used the home phone to call it. He traced the faint ringing to the pocket of Sanji's coat and groaned when he looked to see how many messages had been missed and from whom. It looked like Luffy had been bored indeed. Zoro was about to erase all of them when he noticed the last was from Ace.

bird down

dog rabid

-/-/-/-/-/-

Folders, pens, notebooks, and an assortment of other supplies went flying as Smoker threw everything off his desk in anger. This time the assholes hit a little too close to home, and he was going to make sure they paid. From the corner of his eye, he could see the others in the office eyeing him wearily, waiting for him to finally crack. If it hadn't been for the strict order he'd received, he would have already broken, and that pissed him off even more.

Three hours ago, Hina had been attacked. Smoker knew this because she called him from where she laid, covered with blood in an alley behind a rundown market store. Fortunately, most of the blood belonged to her attackers, but still. The hospital was keeping her overnight for observation due to the blow to her head, but assured the overprotective man that his friend would be fine in a few days. None of the assailants were conscious to question, one even in critical condition, so at the moment Smoker had no one to take his anger out on. Resisting the urge to throw the desk out the window, Smoker snatched his coat and stormed out of his office, raising a hand in warning to Tashigi as the young woman tried to speak to him.

Garp watched him leave, holding back his grin long enough for the pissed off man to be out of sight. The chief's body tingled with mischievousness as he thought about an earlier call. Sometimes it was good to play dumb, but sometimes the truth was so much more fun. Garp wondered if there would be anything left on the block when his favorite detective got home.

_-/-/-/-/-/-_

Smoker saw him the instant he turned onto his street. It didn't matter that the detective's house was a quarter mile down with a slight curve in the road; he saw him. Or maybe it was more correct to say he _felt_ him. That shiver that creeps up your spine when you know something extraordinary is about to happen, the clammy hands sweating with anticipation, the heat that begins to build in your gut. Smoker knew without a doubt who would be in his driveway, and damn it to hell if he wasn't looking forward to it.

The garage door was up, and an old Ford pickup sat occupying the right side. Tools were strewn all over, along with shop towels and bits of clothing. Smoker's brand new turbine heater was plugged in and blowing full blast, heating up the garage and probably half the outside too. Sticking out from under the open hood of the truck he could see cargo shorts, bare legs, and untied black boots. Turning the radio off in his car, Smoker could hear the familiar sounds of Ace's favorite music blaring from the small stereo sitting on the workbench. If it weren't for the fact that he'd probably damage some tools in the process, Smoker thought about pulling into the garage and running the intruder over. Instead, he settled for hitting the siren and smirking devilishly when Ace jumped a foot, smacking his head on the underside of the hood and cursing loudly.

Ace stumbled out, revealing his bare torso and rubbed his head, sending a nasty look towards the unmarked car as he moved to the side, allowing the sedan to enter. How the man had gotten in wasn't in question, considering Ace's respect for privacy, but why the fool had returned was unknown. Whatever had brought him here must be important though, considering… Smoker shook his head to clear the memory and opened the car door. He hadn't fully gotten out before Ace spoke.

"Hey, Taisa, you know that heater of yours can use anything from jet fuel to kerosene. I have to get me one." Ace hopped up on the side of the truck bed and watched as Smoker carefully made his way around to the front of the car. "I couldn't find the shop towels I usually use, so I opened up that new pack you had on the shelves."

"What are you doing here Portgas?" Smoker knew avoiding him would be impossible, so he might as well get this over with as soon as possible.

"How's Hina doing?"

The sudden question caught him off guard and Smoker took a moment to process it. "She'll live."

"Good. I heard about what happened but Gramps wouldn't let me in to see her." Ace slipped down from his seat. "I have some friends looking-"

"Don't get involved, Portgas. I've already had some complaints about your _friends_ poking around the Baratie." Smoker began working his way around the garage; picking up scattered tools and placing them neatly back in their respective spots. A familiar keychain, that should have been in his glove box, stared back at him from the workbench. The last time he remembered seeing it, he had been searching for the key to Zoro's apartment. Smoker wondered if maybe his passenger had somehow snagged it and passed it on. He looked over to the truck that was leaking some kind of fluid all over the garage floor. "Get that piece of junk out of here before I have it towed to the scrap yard."

"Hey, this is a classic, made the same year you were born." Ace grinned, obviously very proud of the fact.

Smoker took another look at the body style and decided that he was definitely way too old. The truck had to be early to mid 70's, nowhere near old enough to be called a classic. Classics were Chevy Corvairs, Corvettes with teardrop finders, or maybe even a Ford Fairlane. Smoker rubbed his temples in effort to subdue the headache that had begun to form. Fingers carded through his short hair and for a moment, he almost gave in to the gentle touch. With a flick of his wrist, he smacked Ace's hand away and turned away. "Just… move it. I don't have time for this shit tonight."

"Then when?" Ace held Smoker's stern glare when the detective looked over at him, a hint of irritation in the raven's eyes. "You might be satisfied with how things turned out, but I'm not."

"You lied to me. Do you have any idea what would have happen to my career if you were convicted? I'd lose everything." Smoker pushed his way past Ace to unplug the turbine. The heater kicked off, sending a rush of cold air back into the garage, and making Ace shiver.

"It looks like you already have." Ace's voice was dead, lifeless, and unlike his normal cheery alto. "I'll be going then. Sorry for the intrusion."

Ace gathered up his shirt and jacket, as well as the second pair of pants he must have been wearing over the shorts. Smoker recognized the lamb's wool collar of the bomber jacket that had been his birthday gift to Ace last year. Just before he passed, Ace darted in and place his lips firmly against Smoker's, letting them linger a moment before pulling slowly away.

"Goodbye Detective."

The words sounded final, as if this were truly the end. That, combined with the empty look in Ace's eyes told Smoker that this would be the last he would ever see of the brat. His troubles would be over, and there would be no need to double check each lock on the windows at night. No more idle wondering, no more intrusions in his office, no more anything. When Ace left, he wouldn't be coming back.

Pain gripped at Smoker's chest and he felt for a moment that he'd been shot. Up until now, he'd been able to disillusion himself with lies and pour his every waking moment into the current case. Soon the case would be solved, and lies were getting harder to hold on to. Too many nights he had already woke up reaching for someone who wasn't there.

The instant Ace's hand touched the chrome latch Smoker was on him, spinning the raven around and slamming him into the cab of the truck. They instantly latched on to each other, Smoker's hands burning as they ran up tanned skin to tangle into silken black hair. Mouths met in desperation as they kissed, each trying to convey what words seemingly couldn't. Ace whimpered slightly and turned his head away as they came up for air.

"Smoker…"

"Don't speak." Smoker began to nip at the soft skin of Ace's throat.

"Ah.. Tai-" Ace began struggling a little.

"Shut up Portgas," the detective growled as he rolled his hips forward, pleased with the pleasured moan he got in return.

"Door latch," Ace finally managed to get out.

Smoker paused, realizing the reason for the unwelcome interruption, and pulled Ace with him as he fell back against his car, reversing their positions. Ace shivered again, and Smoker could feel the tiny prickle of goose bumps on his skin. He opened his eyes and looked out the where the garage door should have been, groaning as he noticed one of his neighbors gaping at them from across the street. With almost no effort, he grabbed Ace's ass in both hands and lifted him, pleased when long legs instantly wrapped around his waist. Smoker managed to blindly hit the close button as they stumbled into the house, his own impatience combining with Ace's desperation as they literally began ripping off each other's clothes.

The buttons from Smoker's shirt went flying and the detective retaliated by slamming his lover down on the kitchen table, deciding that it was much closer than the bedroom upstairs. Ace shed his shorts quickly as Smoker shoved his own jeans down his hips, neither bothering with removing any more than necessary. Smoker snarled when the heels of Ace's boots bit into his lower back, but never said a word as he stood between Ace's thighs and leaned down to reclaim the raven's lips. Their passion was short and frenzied as they both struggled to keep any means of composure about them. Ace's nails dug into the loose shirt still covering Smoker's back and threw his head back as he screamed out his lover's name.

Smoker's body shook slightly before relaxing and he took in several deep breaths to help slow his heart back down. He refused to look at Ace as he pulled back and stepped away, hoisting his pants up as he turned to walk down the hall. Inside his body was singing, but his mind was in turmoil. For the last six months, Smoker had done everything possible to forget about what they once had, but the instant he feared the brat was gone for good, he panicked. All rational thinking had flown out the window as soon as his hand touched that luscious sun-kissed body and now he was paying the price. One look in the bathroom mirror and Smoker knew he was fucked, in more ways than one. The detective reached over and turned on the shower, setting it to slightly warmer than he normally liked and let his clothes fall to the floor. The door opened behind him and he waited until he heard the thud of heavy boots hitting the floor before he stepped into the spray. When tanned arms began to circle him, he didn't resist. Nor did he stop Ace as the raven stirred his desire once more. He'd arrest the brat for something one of these days, but until then… He'd just have to keep his blinds closed.


	11. Chapter 11

AN: A very big thank you to all my reviewers. I've always tried to answer each and every one of you in the past but due to no internet connection, I am not able to fill that right now. I hope everyone enjoys this chap... and yes there is a small part edited out. But it won't really affect the story so you'll be able to enjoy. I am partly done with ch 12 and will get it up ASAP. after that, i think there is only one chapter left to write.

enjoy!

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Leaving It All Behind Chapter 11

Sanji was already awake when he heard the alarm go off in Zoro's room, an amused smile spreading around his first cigarette of the morning when he heard the idiot muttering curses to the clock. It did make him curious though as to why the normally late sleeper would be up at this hour. The shower ran for a few minutes, and then he could hear Zoro muttering again back in the bedroom. Sanji gave up trying to figure out what was going on and pulled back the comforter to slip on a clean pair of shorts and go investigate. He found Zoro struggling to get back out of a suit jacket and testing the seams almost to the point of breakage.

"Whoa, hold on. Let me help you, moron. You'll destroy it if you keep moving like that." Sanji hurried over to take a hold of the black fabric and eased it back off the muscular broad shoulders. "What made you think you could wear this? Look at the pants. They're way too tight, and even an inch short. Shit, when was the last time you even tried it on?"

"Graduation," Zoro grumbled as he allowed the cook to help him out. "From High School. I never had a reason to wear it again. I wore a traditional hakama and haori to my parent's funeral, but I don't think it would be appropriate for today."

Sanji paused in hanging the jacket back on the hanger and turned to look over at Zoro apologetically. "I didn't realize that was today."

Zoro pealed off the trousers and stood there in his black dress shirt and boxers. He tossed the rest of the suit to the cook and let his shoulders fall with the weight of his sadness as he sat down on the bed. "Now what do I wear?"

Sanji studied him for a moment, trying to remember why it seemed he was missing something. The word Armani came to mind and he quickly hurried out of Zoro's bedroom to his own. Sanji threw open the closet door and began searching through the pristine clothes that had been hanging there. He withdrew a zippered bag and peeked inside, nodding in acceptance at what he found. He turned to see Zoro standing in the doorway, a deep frown on the swordsman's face.

"That's my father's suit."

"I know. And being so, it should fit you well enough." Sanji continued to unzip the cover and pulled out the expensive wool. "Try it. It's just for a few hours today."

Apprehensively, Zoro accepted the pants and took a deep breath as he put them on. They fit him well enough and he released the breath slowly, looking up to the blonde for approval. He was startled to see the cook fastening up the slacks he had previously been wearing, the material fitting the slender frame much better than his own. Sanji grinned at him and held out the jacket for Zoro to try on. Glancing in the mirror, Zoro almost swore that his father was looking back at him. He moved slightly and saw the reflection of the blonde behind him putting on a deep gold shirt and tucking it into the slacks.

"What do you think you're doing?" Zoro turned around to see Sanji wrapping a black tie around his neck with amazing speed.

"Showing my respect," Sanji stated matter-of-factly. "And my support."

"To who? You don't think I'm letting you out again, do you?" Zoro squared his shoulders and narrowed his eyes as he remembered the call from Robin thanking him for all of Sanji's help with Chimney at the hospital.

"I'm not a dog, asshole, and everyone already thinks we're a couple. There'd be a lot of questions if I didn't go with you." Sanji mysteriously pulled out another tie and proceeded to lift Zoro's collar to place it on him.

"Questions as to why you're not there would be a hell of a lot easier than questions about why you're with me." Zoro stiffened as Sanji leaned in close, knotting the silken material perfectly and smoothing out the wrinkles in his dress shirt. "You're not going."

"I'll just catch a taxi like before. Look what happened when you went to the hospital without me. The cops brought you home barely conscious." Sanji lifted his head and was startled to see dark eyes studying him so intently. "No one should go through something like this alone, Zoro. Not even someone like you."

"If you're spotted-"

"You'll kick their ass and keep me safe just like promised." Sanji stepped back and took a look at the finished ensemble. He saw the weary look in Zoro's eyes and remembered what he had said in the shower. "You still think you're going to lose me, don't you?"

Zoro looked away, unable to meet the cook's eyes any longer but didn't deny his words. "Fine. Come, but if you're recognized I'm handing you over personally."

-/-/-/-/-/-

The burial had been simple, laying the woman to rest next her husband beneath a beautiful Adam Wood tree on the river side of the cemetery. Sanji looked over the large crowd of people, seeing many of same faces from the hospital and several he recognized as local politicians. Seeing the haunted look on Zoro's face when the casket was lowered, Sanji began to wonder how much more loss the seemingly indestructible swordsman could take before he was broken for good. The cook inconspicuously slipped his hand into Zoro's and gave it a gentle squeeze before releasing him and stepping away. Soon this entire mess with evidence and trials would be over, and with it their time together. But, until then, Sanji swore he would do his part in keeping the green-haired man together. He was supposed to be the cook's protector after all.

Not knowing exactly how to introduce himself Sanji gratefully accepted Mozu and Kiwi's help, along with some assistance from Chimney and Luffy. After the third person was rendered speechless they decided that maybe saying he was Zoro's boyfriend wasn't the best idea. A look over to the irate swordsman confirmed their suspicions and his introduction was amended to friend, but the damage had already been done. Chimney had just stopped in front of Paulie and Nami and introduced the cook as Sanji Roronoa.

Oblivious to the bombshell that had just been dropped, Zoro continued to stand with Robin and a few others as they reminisced. He kept an eye on the blonde despite his constant aggravation with him, but felt confident that no one would dream of attacking in a place like this; especially amidst the vast amount of skilled street thugs and city officials. As the crowd thinned, Zoro wandered back over to stand by the fresh grave, his jaw twitching with the pressure of his clinched teeth. Again, a warm hand slipped into his, and long fingers entwined with Zoro's own. The swordsman tried to pull away, but the grip tightened and Zoro turned his gaze enough to send an evil glare to the person at his side.

"Stop fighting, idiot. This isn't my doing," Sanji spat out as he edged closer to the green-haired man, trying to make it look like they were just speaking softly to each other. "The girls all seem to think we're together, so trying to convince anyone of something different was impossible."

Zoro tilted his head and watched their joined hands as he tried to figure a way out of this lie. "All you had to do was say no. It's that simple."

"It might have been if that little girl of yours wasn't telling everyone that I'm the reason for you cleaning up and we got married so we could live together." Sanji let out a snort of humorless amusement at the blank look he received from Zoro. "At least you were made out as the husband."

A grin finally appeared on Zoro's face as he found humor for the first time that day. "You are pretty girly."

Sanji was about to argue back when his phone began to ring, the pink cell making Zoro chuckle even more. Unfortunately, the name that came up blocked all other train of thought and Sanji held out the feminine phone to his protector.

"It's him," Sanji said, his voice strained with obvious stress. The cell sat innocently in his hand as he stared at it, torn between anger and fear. "He only calls when my location has been compromised."

Zoro snatched the still ringing phone from his hand and poured every ounce of venom he could muster into his voice. "Look, shithead, I hope you have a damn good reason for calling because I'm not in the mood to put up with anyone's bullshit."

"Ho-ho-ho, of course. I assume you are the mystery guardian that Detective Smoker has assigned to our Mr. Black, am I correct?" the voice on the other end seemed cheerful and quite happy, a vast contrast to the current mood that day.

"And you're the unknown inside guy. You seem pretty happy to be calling to tell blondie he needs to run for his life again." Zoro rolled his eyes at the crude hand gesture he received.

"No, I assure you, he is safe for the time being. Actually, it is you that I needed to speak with. Unfortunately, my actions are being watched, so I only have a moment. Can you meet me this evening?"

Zoro felt the hand tighten around his, and he looked to see Sanji watching him expectantly. Unsure of what to do, Zoro turned so that they were facing each other and pulled the phone away from his ear slightly so they could both listen easier. This would save him from having to repeat it later anyway. "I'm listening."

The sound of large equipment running in the background started getting louder. "There's a little club called Rumbar Hideout down on Island Avenue. Do you know it?"

"No, but I know the road. It runs down by the docks where Galley La is." Zoro saw Sanji nodding in agreement and knew the blonde was familiar with the place as well.

"Yes! That's the one. Meet me there around ten tonight. Just go to the bar and enjoy a drink. I'll join you then." The background noise began to fade and seagulls could be heard.

Zoro made a mental note of the time and place before realizing he'd forgotten to get an important piece of information. "How will I know you?"

"Yo ho ho ho."

A click, and the line went silent. Zoro closed the pink cell slowly, his mind reeling with possibilities of a setup and what he should do to prepare. His swords would be a little obvious even under a heavy jacket and they were sure to have him check his coat at the door. He could call up Daz and see if he was available to tag along, but more than likely he'd stick out and draw too much attention anyway. Johnny and Yosaku would be a better choice. They could blend into almost any nightclub, unless it was a real classy one. Zoro sighed and decided to go at it alone. If things got really bad, he'd call for backup then, not that he'd ever needed it before. The feeling of someone closing in on him brought him out of his thinking and Zoro refocused on the blonde who had just taken his phone back.

"So, we're meeting him finally, but why would he pick a place like this?" Sanji asked, curiosity lacing his voice when he spoke. "You ever been there?"

Zoro shook his head as he tried to shake loose of the cook's iron grip. "No, I like the place I usually go. And don't get any ideas. You're staying home."

"Like hell I am! This fucker has been leading me by the balls for six months now and it's about time I give him a piece of my mind," Sanji argued as he used his hold to pull Zoro back towards him.

"He just said that he's being watched. What if one of the assassins is there? What then? Let them get in a free shot? You idiot! Do you really not understand the meaning of Witness Protection? How am I supposed to protect you when you won't stay the fuck out of sight?!" Zoro punctuated the last three words by jabbing his finger into Sanji's chest with each one.

Sanji knocked Zoro's hand out of the way and took hold of the black tie to keep him from backing up again. "I can protect myself, dumbass. This bullshit stops now. I'm done with it! Let them come."

"Don't even think of it," Zoro snarled, finally remembering to keep his voice down. "Somehow you're connected with the fuckers who killed my parents, so until I find them, you're life is mine."

"And here I thought you didn't care," Sanji drawled out sarcastically as he rolled his eyes. "Whatever you say, sweetheart." Zoro opened his mouth to argue, but Sanji jerked his hand away and held it out to stop him. "You know what? Just do whatever you want. I'm sure that's what you'll do anyway."

Zoro watched him walk away, uncertain about the ease in which the matter was dropped. Even though they had only known each other a few days, nothing ever was easy with the blonde. He watched Sanji pour out the charm when he asked Mozu and Kiwi for a ride back to the apartment building and was shocked at the nasty look he got from the twins. Just what did that shit-cook say to them anyway? One last look to the grave and Zoro bowed deeply.

"I really hope he's not the one you're expecting me to fall in love with, Auntie. It's all I can do to not kill him right now."

The wind picked up and Zoro got the distinct feeling that the old woman was laughing at him from somewhere. He frowned and stood up straight, wondering why even the dead seemed to think he needed that extra headache around.

-/-/-/-/-/-

The clock on the wall was beginning to piss him off, considering he had looked at it five times in the last fifteen minutes. No matter how hard he tried, the damn thing wouldn't move any faster. It was the first time in almost a year that he had been this anxious for the work day to be over with. Sure there were other times that he had just wanted to be anywhere but behind his desk, but today was different. Today, he just wanted to get back home to the hot, sexy, naked man he had left cuffed to his nightstand that morning. True the brat could easily pick the lock, but then Smoker would have to add resisting arrest to the long list of charges he had already started writing down. As of right now, Ace was looking at anything from 3 years to life in prison.

He caught his name amidst the hushed conversation outside his door and looked up to see several worried officers huddled together. The grin on his face faded, and his normal grouchy façade settled into place. Tashigi emerged from the group and hung her head guiltily as she hurried back to her desk. A flash of shoulder length silver hair caught his eye and he watched as Saga greeted several policemen before heading to the detective's office.

"Smoker, it's been a while. How is…?" Saga caught himself too late, the question flying off his tongue without thinking. It was always natural of him to ask about Ace when they would meet before.

"He's fine. You mentioned on the phone that you had information for me." Smoker dismissed the PI's inquiry, falling into old habits as well and dropped the subject as he cleared off an area on his desk to review the folder Saga was holding. Had he looked up into the man's face, Smoker would have realized that he had just given himself away.

Saga tucked away the slip-up making a note to call Zoro and see if the green-haired man knew anything about the rekindled relationship. The investigator closed the door and locked it, making sure that they would not be disturbed during the meeting and pulled a chair over to sit close to the desk. "I had an interesting visit with your witness the other day. I have to say it was a bold move on your part to put him in such a place."

"It seems that a lot of people have seen him recently." Smoker tossed the pen he had been playing with back onto the desk. "Maybe I should kill him myself."

"I think I can change your mind." Saga offered and slid the papers across the desk to the detective. "I took the files you gave me and compared them to the information I had collected four years ago. There are a lot of coincidences."

Smoker's brow furrowed deeply as he began reading, the pieces of the two seemingly separate cases finally connecting. How any of this was missed before he didn't know. It all jumped out at him, crystal clear as he took in what the investigator had discovered. Smoker studied the watermark and a thick brow rose in interest at the name written beside it.

"I have a theory." Saga stated, knowing he had the detective's full attention now. "I remember Mrs. Roronoa working close with Dr. Kureha for a couple years over at Drum Hospital until the doctor's husband died. It was during that time that she seemed to have a breakthrough on whatever she had been doing. All of the threats were demanding her research, so-"

"You're thinking that this is where they targeted her?" Smoker finished for him.

"It seems so." Saga agreed. "And I believe I've found out who Dr H is." Saga pulled out a photo from the stack and set it on top. "His name is Charles Hogback. The man fits the profile perfectly. Born in Austria, kicked out of medical practice for unethical and inhumane work studies, suspected necrophiliac, charged with distribution of narcotic and hallucinogenic drugs, broke out of prison twelve years ago," Saga's voice dropped and took on a more serious tone, "and is now currently believed to be working with Gecko Moria."

Saga watched the information settle in Smoker's face, the dark cloud over the man's head gaining strength with each word he said. "You realize that Zoro's going to find this out soon. The bloodbath he caused before will be nothing compared to what he will do with a name and a face to go after."

"Only if he gets to them first." Fury, the likes of which Saga had only seen on his best friend, filled Smoker's aura as he studied the picture further. The detective pushed away from the desk and grabbed his coat, tucking the photo of Hogback into his breast pocket. "I have my own debt to settle with these monsters."

-/-/-/-/-/-

A quarter after ten, Zoro pulled into the packed parking lot of the Rumbar Hideout and wedged his beast into a spot near the back fence. The place was crowded to say the least, and he had to squeeze between several people to be able to get to the bar, but somehow he managed to find an open seat. Zoro took it without second thought and immediately ordered up a shot, hoping to take the edge off of the irritation he felt building. The band playing was decent and rather energetic, making the swordsman think of his goofy dark headed friends. Usopp and Luffy would like this place for sure and Franky would probably be up there playing with other musicians. Maybe when this was over, he'd bring the guys here. Zoro sat his glass down and signaled for the bartended to bring another.

Several minutes, drinks, and denied women later, Zoro debated getting up and leaving. True, he had been late to begin with, but he couldn't take much more of this jovial atmosphere before he suffocated with it. A warm body came up from behind and leaned against him as they signaled for the server. Out of the edge of his eye, Zoro noticed the Flyers jersey and swore under his breath for forgetting about the game tonight. If the asshole didn't hurry up and back off soon though, he'd take that shirt and shove it down the man's throat.

"Hey, how did the game turn out? It's been so busy here I haven't been able to check on it since first period." The bartender handed over a drink and waved off payment, apparently eager to know the score.

"Rangers had their asses handed to them. 6 to 1, and that one was bullshit," the familiar voice replied. Zoro's drink paused mid air when the man bent down and whispered in his ear. "Hello, sweetheart, miss me?"

The glass in Zoro's hand cracked under the pressure of his grip, but fortunately remained intact. He turned his head slowly to look up at the unwelcome guest and gritted his teeth to keep from screaming at him. Admittedly, the black bandanna tied around his head quite effectively hid the distinct blonde hair, and the edges came down to help cover the curl of his eyebrows, but what truly pissed Zoro off was the uncanny habit the cook had of picking out Zoro's favorite clothes to wear. The signed hockey jersey was three sizes too big for Sanji, and hung on the man's slender frame, making him seem even more delicate.

"If you're expecting me to spontaneously combust, it might take a while." The cook was pissed, and refused to look directly at Zoro though he continued to press up against his back.

"You're really-" Zoro began, stopping when someone bumped into him on the other side and spilled a little of the drink he had left in his glass.

"Yo ho ho ho ho! A cup of tea, if you will, George. Ah, good evening miss. Would you mind letting me see your panties?"

The slap that followed was met with laughter all around, and toasts to the injured man. Apparently it was a very common occurrence for them and the incident was quickly dismissed. Zoro temporarily put aside the lecture he was about to give in lieu of finding out the identity of the perverted man. He could feel Sanji stiffen behind him, and the hand that was still resting on his shoulder tighten. That was the only confirmation Zoro needed to know this was the person he was supposed to meet.

The informant was a tall man to begin with, but the oversized afro and top hat added to the height, making him tower over everyone in the bar. The outdated hat, cane, and tailored suit gave him appearance of an old English aristocrat, and his manner of speech was refined, though the topics weren't necessarily. Tiny black glasses sat perched on his nose as he spoke animatedly with those around him. Zoro recognized him as one of the members of the band and was about to grab the man by his ruffled blue necktie when he abruptly turned and smiled down at Zoro.

"Good evening, gentlemen. Mr. Black, good to see you again. Care to join me for a drink?" The tall man accepted his teacup gracefully and headed for the dimly lit booths, gesturing for them to follow.

Zoro stood and was about to head after the afro man when he noticed the blonde heading in that direction as well.

"Stay your ass here, shit-cook. Leave this business to me."

"In case it slipped your notice, moron, that guy just called me by name. He's the one who got me into this mess in the first place by giving me that damn box." Sanji knew he made his point when Zoro's eyes widened slightly before narrowing in irritation again. "I'm here, just deal with it. If you're so worried why don't you go stand guard or something."

Zoro glared after the blonde, refusing to admit defeat but made no further attempts to stop him. He took another long look around, searching the crowd for any recognizable or suspicious faces and came up empty. There were both advantages and disadvantages to being in a large gathering of people. You could blend in easier, but escaping once found would prove troublesome. Zoro tossed a large bill on the bar absentmindedly before hurrying after the other men.

Sanji was already seated across from the musician when Zoro got to the booth, leaving only one logical option. The swordsman slid into the seat next to the blonde and wondered if anything would ever go as planned when the pain in the ass was involved.

Brook studied Zoro hard for several minutes in silence, making the tension grow to suffocating proportions. Zoro could feel the cook shifting uneasily beside him as they both waited for the man to finally come to a decision and speak.

"Do I know you?" the musician finally asked.

Zoro furrowed his brow in concentration as he tried to recall anywhere he might have seen the bony man before. Finding nothing, he shook his head. "No, that sword of yours is something I would have remembered."

Sanji looked around confused as Brook began laughing. The purple cane was laid gently on the table, and Brook bowed his head politely towards Zoro. "You have a keen eye, Mr…"

"Roronoa. Zoro Roronoa."

Brook's face fell and the man went pale as his jaw hung open in obvious surprise. He began rubbing his temple and muttering under his breath, "It can't be. No, no, this is bad. There has to be another explanation."

"So it's true." Zoro fisted his hands atop the table as he leveled a look at the perplexed man. "My parents are connected to this somehow. Your so-called boss was after my mother's research."

The musician swallowed hard and looked back and forth between then equally angry faces of the men across from him. "I've seen pictures of your mother, but the accident was before I came to work with them. I hear her name often when they speak of the research Doctor Hogback is doing."

"Hogback? So that's the name of the man behind all of this." Sanji sat back in his seat and crushed out his spent cigarette. "Makes sense. Everything was always under Dr. H when they dined at Baratie."

"Not entirely. Hogback isn't working alone. In fact, he isn't even the boss." Brook stirred his tea absently as he tried to decide what to divulge.

"Absalom and that other pink haired wench spoke of someone called Master." Zoro eyed the man closely, watching for any action that spoke of deception.

"Geko-"

"Moria!" Zoro all but shouted.

"Yes, I see you know him." Brook picked up his tea and traced the rim with a long boney finger. "I've heard that you met Absalom and Perona as well. Much thanks to your officer friend in taking her down by the way."

"It seems you have a lot of information about us; too much for my taste. Tell me why I shouldn't just kill you here and now." Zoro loosened his fist and splayed his hand flat on the table, shifting his feet so he could spring on the informant in an instant if the answer wasn't to his liking.

Brook took a sip of his tea, not realizing the tension his silent pause was creating. "Because you'll never know the truth about your parents if you do."

"I don't respond well to threats." Zoro started to rise from his seat, stopping only when Sanji took a hold of his arm and pulled him down.

"It's not a threat, Mr Roronoa, it's purely a statement of fact. If you kill either Mr Black or myself, you will never be able to solve the puzzle. With all of us together, we can each get what we want. Mr. Black can go back to his life of a master chef, you can find the men responsible for the plane crash and make them pay, and I can regain the life they stole from me. Of course let's not forget that our dear detective will be able to extract justice from this as well. I know he has been hunting for a reason to bring Moria down for years now." Brook sipped the last of his tea and sat the cup daintily back on the saucer.

Zoro considered everything he had just heard, but the most important question to him still remained unanswered. "Which one is responsible for my parents?"

Brook shook his head and looked up at Zoro sorrowfully. "I'm afraid I do not know for sure. As I said before, I wasn't there at that time. We can only hope that when they fall, someone is willing to talk."

"And just how do you plan on doing that?" Zoro could feel the cook tense up beside him and knew he had been wondering exactly the same thing.

"Ah, there's the trick. First you must stay alive, and that will not be easy. You see, I am afraid that when you were contracted to kill our friend here, the man you bumped out of line for the hit became quite disgruntled. I want to warn you not to underestimate him. Absalom is best known for his stealth, and can disappear into thin air, so to speak. They are also putting in a safeguard; a man of whom I only know by reputation. They call him the King. You do not stand a chance against this monster. I do not know what motivates him to fight, but he will continue even on the brink of death." Brooke folded his hands together and placed his elbows on the table, looking pointedly at Zoro. "His mission is to kill you once you have completed your assignment."

Zoro crossed his arms over his chest and leaned back in the seat, mulling over in the new information as debated the truth in the words. He could see Sanji processing it as well, taking in account the added threat to his own life and now Zoro's. "He'll be waiting a while."

Sanji shot him a nasty look at the insinuation that he would still be killed, just not immediately. "That still doesn't explain the how."

"Yes, you are right. I have finally gained the trust of a troubled young woman inside, and with her help I hope to attain the needed information to prove what horrible acts Moria and his men are up to. That, combined with the item in your possession and your testimony should be exactly what the police need to make the arrest. All other evidence will be within the factory."

"What do you need from us?"

"Keep Mr Black safe and retrieve the box I gave him. I will call you when I have what we need on my end." Brook gathered his things and rose from the booth. He hesitated a moment before turning back towards them slightly. "Prepare yourself, Mr. Roronoa. Your enemy hides many dark secrets, some of which even you might not be able to face."

They sat there a moment, each deep in their own thoughts until a young waitress came over and placed two drinks in front of the men, giving them a big smile. "I was told by Brook to give you these and to tell you they're from that weird blonde guy over there with the white hat."

Zoro nodded his thanks to her and waited for her to move out of his line of sight so he could see this man the girl was referring to. Zoro cursed under his breath as he caught sight of the familiar blue and white ball atop a blonde's head. Absalom was gawking over some scantily clad women on the dance floor, at the moment unaware of their presence. The throng of people joyously dancing around, laughing and drinking flickered into a bloody mess of bullet ridden chaos and Zoro knew he needed to avoid fighting in here at all costs. Beside him, Sanji was glaring hard at the assassin and his body twitched as if about to spring forth and attack.

"We need to get out of here." Zoro slipped out of the seat, keeping an eye on Absalom as he waited for Sanji to join him. "Hurry up."

"I'm not leaving." Sanji flicked his lighter and lit up another cigarette. "I won't run anymore. Besides, it's just one guy."

"That one guy is packing more than you can handle, shit-cook." Zoro grabbed him and began pulling him out of the booth. "You start attacking him here and innocent people are going to die."

Sanji kicked him in the chest just enough to cause Zoro to release him and stood on his own, his heated glare increasing as the cook got up in his protector's face. "I'm not afraid to die."

"I could care less about your scrawny ass right now. It's them I'm worried about." Zoro shot back and nodded towards the crowd, never breaking eye contact with the blonde. The band chose that time to come back on stage, the cheering of their fans drowning out anything that the swordsman was trying to say.

Sanji took a deep breath and let it out slowly as he waited for the noise to die down, not bothering to let the green-haired man know he couldn't hear a word being said. In his mind, all Sanji could think about was the lives that had been ruined due to a man named Hogback and his supposed Master. He never noticed that Zoro had asked him a question, or that the man had closed in on him and was now invading his space. Sanji blinked and let his eyes refocus, never flinching at the flood of anger that washed over him. They stood there nose to nose, hatred oozing from them as both men refused to back down. No one came near them as they faced off, each having their own reasoning for acting so stubborn.

The music changed to something soft and slow, changing the atmosphere in the bar and bringing out the couples to the dance floor. More people began to wander over to the tables, all eying the two men as they searched for somewhere to sit and relax a spell. Sanji reached up to pull off the black bandanna before shoving it into Zoro's chest letting his hair fall naturally across his face. With all of the cook's distinguishing features now visible, Zoro was forced to realize his mistake. His single mission to protect the man who would lead him to his parent's murder had failed. Zoro gritted his teeth as Sanji shook his head and walked off, both of them completely unaware of the second pair of eyes that followed the cook's departure.

-/-/-/-/-/-

The green hair wasn't hard to recognize in the crowd, and it drew the assassin's attention immediately. A young girl passed by him, distracting the man for a moment, but the pull to extract revenge was stronger than his lust right now. He'd have to get rid of that guy his enemy was talking to, but that shouldn't be a problem. Absalom grinned evilly as he skirted the dance floor and headed for the arguing pair. Maybe with luck, it would be a lover or close friend. He would love to see the look on the swordsman's face when he took away another of his precious people. It was a pity that he didn't have a chance to get to that old woman before she croaked on her own, so he'd have to settle for this inadequate creature instead. Either way, it wouldn't have been challenge to take them out. How much trouble could a skinny little blonde cause?

Absalom paused and looked at them again. The man arguing with Roronoa had just taken off the black cloth on his head to reveal a façade all too familiar to the assassin. Here was the elusive Sanji Black. The man that Master had been hunting for months, and the man that the green-haired swordsman had been contracted to kill; or was it bring in alive? Absalom no longer cared about the details, instead changing his target and heading to the exit the witness had just taken. First, he'd secure the long lost cook, gaining favor in Master's eye finally, and then he would take care of the insurgent samurai that had betrayed them. Mouth curved into a sinister grin, the catlike man slipped silently into the alley behind the bar.

-/-/-/-/-

Sanji kicked the dumpster and watched in satisfaction as the metal container flew several yards down the alley. The crater that was now imprinted in its side wasn't the best he could do, but considering the lack of proper, _his_, footwear the cook was content with the damage done. The only thing that would have pleased him more would have been if a certain green head had intercepted the kick rather than an inanimate object. Just the thought of his protector renewed his anger and Sanji lashed out again, this time sending a crate flying into the night. Destruction of property never solved anything, but damn it sure helped to kick the shit out of something. Sanji heard a door open behind him and hoped to every god there was that the person was prepared for the beating of their life.

"You've got shitty timing, whoever the hell you are." The cook pulled out a cigarette and took his time lighting it, giving the unfortunate soul just enough time to rethink their ideas of challenging him. When they made no move to retreat, he looked back over his shoulder to see if it would even be worth his time. The moonlight glinted off the barrel of gun though the wielder remained in the shadows, but the weapon was unique and easily recognizable. Sanji gave an amused huff as he turned to face his fate fully. Karma sure was a bitch today. "Of all of the men to have finally found me, it had to be you. I think I'd rather that shitty little vampire guy try to hump my leg again."

Absalom hummed, the sound akin to a purr as he stepped out into the shadow, second gun joining the first. "We've come for the information."

This time the cook laughed fully, a sardonic smile playing on his lips as he removed the cigarette from between them. "You're shit out of luck."

There was a loud click as the hammers were pulled back and Absalom advanced a few steps. "Then maybe that swordsman would be a better one to ask. Have you even told him what it is that you're hiding?"

Sanji stiffened, a touch of concern filtering through his calm expression as he thought about what his guard might say when he found out. It wasn't like the cook had exactly been withholding information from him. There wasn't any true evidence that the item held any connection to Zoro anyway. Sanji took a long drag and studied the cattish man, watching for any little tell that might be used to his advantage. A shift to the left suggested he might have weak point on his right so Sanji decided maybe he should start there. After all, he _did_ just say he was tired of running. "You'd be better off if he was the one standing here right now."

"And just why is that?" The guns were lowered slightly as the assassin cocked his head to the side in interest. It was just the opening Sanji had been waiting for and the cook jumped on it.

Pivoting on his left foot, Sanji spun with amazing speed kicking the guns from Absalom's hands and sending them flying. The feline howled in anger and used his momentum to follow around and slam the back of his fist across Sanji's face, forcing the cook to stumble from the impact. Sanji recovered quickly and dodged the powerful swings that would have easily done damage to his slighter frame. His body protested as he bent backwards, reminding him of how much he had neglected his training, but the cook pushed through it and placed his hands on the filthy road. As expected Absalom had followed the motion of his body and Sanji brought up both feet, toes of shoes connecting with the underjaw and chin hard enough to lift the man off the ground.

Absalom stumbled when he hit the ground and held onto a drain spout to steady himself as his vision cleared. Immediately, the skinny man appeared in front of him and he turned to brace himself for the impact. The assassin's eyes widened at the power behind the attack and began to reassess the skill of the opponent in front of him. Legs only had a limited range, so all he had to do was put distance between them. The cook's biggest weakness be assuming that Absalom only carried one set of guns.

"It doesn't matter to us if which one of you we face first. You'll both die soon. If not by me, then by another." Absalom grinned at the increase of anger that came over Sanji and used his hesitation as a chance to put some distance between them.

"You really think that Zoro will let any of you live now that he knows the truth?" Sanji wiped his hands off on his pants. "He knows your master killed his parents."

A surprised look appeared on the cattish face for a moment before Absalom laughed sinisterly. "He's wrong. Master didn't kill them. In fact, no one did. But I do know who brought down the plane." In a smooth motion, Absalom withdrew his second set of pistols and began firing.

Sanji dove behind a mountain of garbage, muttering every filthy name he could think of as bullets embedded in the bags behind him. How he could have made such a mistake as to not consider more guns was beyond him. He listened hard for the sounds of his attacker, but only heard the city, making the feeling of unease begin to rise. Sanji chanced looking over the top of his barrier and was met with emptiness. The gunman was nowhere to be seen. A soft sound, almost like a drop of water falling into a puddle sounded behind him and Sanji dove to the side just in time to avoid two bullets to the head. He secured himself behind a dumpster this time and wondered if maybe he should have heeded Zoro's warning a bit more. Again he peeked out and saw no one.

This time he heard the click of the hammer close enough behind him to make his heart almost stop. Sanji dove and rolled into the middle of the alley as another shot rang out. He stood and looked to where he had thought the gunman was and saw nothing. It was a rash choice, but instead of hiding this time, he stood in the open and closed his eyes, reaching out with every other sense he had to find where the next attack would come from. The air shifted and Sanji took the chance, springing forward to his hands again and lashing out in a pinwheel barrage of kicks. Satisfaction filled him when he connected with solid mass and he felt the body beneath his foot cave in slightly. Opening his eyes, Sanji pushed up and vaulted to his feet again, preparing to continue the onslaught.

Absalom was slightly hunched over, trying to catch his breath though he still managed to pull off another round in Sanji's direction. Pain shot through his hand as the pistol was again knocked away and he howled in anger as his remaining weapon failed to fire at near pointblank range into the cook's face. On instinct, Absalom crossed both arms over his head and blocked another heavy blow that could have easily knocked him out. Before the leg could be retracted, he grabbed on and used his hold to swing the cook against the wall next to him. Absalom began wailing on the dazed man, trying to break through Sanji's defense and laughing with every blow that connected with tender flesh. He was surprised with the amount that had been deflected, and how many the cook had taken, yet still stood. Smug satisfaction filled him as he continued to show that he wasn't completely dependent on weapons alone.

The assassin shifted to his left and suddenly a blinding pain erupted in his right knee. He looked down to see the cook's foot retreating and the joint bent backwards. In vain he tried to move, but the mutilated leg no longer supported his weight and he stumbled. He raised his arms to block as many of the hits as possible, but with his movements limited, Absalom was clearly at a disadvantage. A foot connected with his abdomen, knocking the wind from him again and he hunched over in pain. His precious hat was knocked off his head as the cook grabbed his hair and the world exploded as a knee was slammed into Absalom's face. The assassin fell to the ground, furious, disoriented and in pain.

Fighting against losing consciousness, Absalom reached into his boot and pulled out a small derringer, ashamed that he has to resort to such a weak ploy to win his battle. But before he could even lift it, Sanji slammed his heel into the assassin's hand, crushing the bone and making it useless. Absalom cried out in pain as the cook chuckled maliciously.

"I can see why the shitty swordsman gets such a thrill out of shit like this." Sanji twisted his foot once more before lifting it off the man's hand and kicking the tiny gun away.

"You stupid idiot! We will see that you pay for what you have done to us," Absalom spat out.

"Yah, yah. I've heard all that shit before." Sanji's breathing was labored, but a quick assessment said that he'd received much worse at his father's hands. He ignored the pain in his back and instead focused on the man hunched over at his feet. Three guns had already been produced from hidden spots, and it was more than likely that there would be others. The cook watched him carefully as he pulled a crushed pack of cigarettes from his pocket and felt for one that wasn't too badly broken.

"Master will only send others. You're a dead man, Sanji Black. Just like your father." Absalom lifted his head and smirked triumphantly at the look of horror that filled the cook's face.

"Not if I can help it."

Movement to the side caught his eye and Absalom looked over just in time to see a large fist slam into him. As darkness took over, Absalom thought how familiar the look of hatred on Zoro's face was, and he wondered why. Just where had he seen that exact same face before?

"What the fuck, Asshole!" Sanji lashed out and landed a blow directly to Zoro's chest, wincing and hissing in pain as his back screamed in protest.

"Hey, cook, you okay?" Zoro grabbed the blonde and held him steady. He released the breath he had been holding when Sanji shook him off, shocked at the concern that had taken hold of him when he thought the blonde had been wounded. Zoro dug into his pocket and pulled out his cell, pressing speed dial for Smoker quickly. He continued to keep an eye on the cook just in case as he waited for the detective to pick up. A thin brow rose high on his forehead at the unexpected voice on the other end.

"Hey Zoro, what's up?"

"Ace? What…" Recovering from his surprise quickly, Zoro began to chuckle. "It's about damn time you pulled the stick out of his ass. Put my Godfather on the phone."

Zoro could hear murmured talking followed by a sharp bark of orders and a yelp. The detective had a slight edge to his voice when he spoke. "This had better be good Roronoa."

"I need a pickup and a medic over-"

"I don't need a fucking doctor, Marimo," Sanji interrupted.

"-behind a place called Rumbar Hideout." Zoro ignored the glare he received from the cook. "You know it?" He received an affirmative grunt and listened to the movement on the other end of the phone. "You'd better hurry before he wakes up. His guns are around here somewhere."

"Don't do anything stupid Roronoa," Smoker warned.

"You're always welcome to join me." Zoro waited only a moment for an answer and when he didn't receive one he hung up, knowing that his Godfather was thinking hard.

Zoro pocketed his phone and started walking away, not surprised at all when the cook somewhat fell in step with him. He slowed his pace slightly to accommodate the blonde's slowing pace, grateful that he didn't ask any questions. Zoro had gone to the bar after Sanji stormed out, trying to drink away the guilt of having failed, but when all he could see at the bottom of the glass was his father's disappointed face

Together they headed for Zoro's GTO, Sanji's gait leveling out as they walked. "You gonna live?"

"Fuck you. I can still kick your shitty ass anytime." Sanji sighed heavily as he searched for salvageable cigarette. "Bastard crushed my smokes."

"I'll buy you new ones." Zoro unlocked the passenger door and opened it, waiting for the blonde to get in.

When Sanji just stood there and looked at him blankly, Zoro sighed and left the door standing open as he walked around to get in his own side. Everything he had learned that evening faded into the background when he heard the shots, the image of another dead body filling his mind. His heart stopped each time he heard the gun fire again and Zoro swore that he wouldn't lose another person. By the time he had gotten to the alley, Sanji had finally gotten the upper hand and had drawn the assassin in. Zoro remembered the scene vividly. The fear he had felt when the gun clicked so close to the cook's face, the crack of the bone as Sanji's foot immobilized the assassin, the relief when he knew the man was ok, and the anger that took over when Absalom made threats against Sanji's father. It took everything he had not to strip the cook right then and there to check for injuries, to make sure there were no bullet holes concealed beneath the mud covered jersey.

Zoro continued to keep an eye on the man during the drive back to the apartment and stayed at his side with every step into the building. He began to realize his actions when he almost followed Sanji into the bathroom to make sure he wouldn't fall over while trying to take a piss. Overprotective didn't even begin to cover it. He ended up standing at the window in the spare bedroom, watching the clouds moving in with the promise of a nasty storm. Zoro felt the cook behind him and closed his eyes as he breathed in the smoke of the freshly lit cigarette. The shitty bastard must have had an extra pack stashed somewhere.

"You know, the more I think about it I think the evidence I'm holding doesn't belong to Moria." Sanji's voice seemed a little hesitant, a little out of place for the usually sure man. Zoro tried to blame it on the fight they had just gotten out of, but knew somehow this was due to something else.

Zoro could hear him shuffling around in something, curiosity getting the better of him and he turned around to see what the cook was looking for. He was surprised to see the blonde rifling through the meager bag he had brought with him, wondering what in the world could be of importance in there. Zoro had gone through the bag when the blonde had first arrived. As far as he could remember, there wasn't anything in there that could be considered evidence in any way. He watched the blonde pull out the leather case holding the assortment of knives and stepped closer for a better view. The cutlery came out one by one, each laid gently on the bed and soon the left side of the case was empty. Sanji pulled out the padded form to reveal a small silver object beneath. He lifted it up and held it out for Zoro to take.

"What is it?" Zoro took the flat piece of metal and plastic and turned it over looking for any indication as to what significance it might have toward him.

Sanji stepped around him and pushed the button to turn on the computers. "It's called a flash drive, moron. You can store a shitload of information on one. I tried to hook it up to a computer once, but I could never get it to load. Since I had gotten it from Brook, I thought it was information on Mas-… this Moria fucker. I'm beginning to wonder-"

"If it's my mother's missing research instead," Zoro filled in. He looked back at the laptops, wondering if he should even try to see what was on it. All the computers had brought him was more heartache so far. What good would it do him anyway? It wasn't as if he even knew where to plug it in. The drive was taken from his hand and he watched the blonde stick the slender device into a slot in the side of the laptop. Again, the faded red background with an X came on the screen. "I don't think I want to know what's on there."

"She said it's supposed to be your present. You could at least find out what she got you before you decide to throw it away." Sanji turned up the volume and adjusted the screen so that Zoro could see it clearly.

Voice recognition accepted Zoro's voice again and the image bled into a video of a young teenager running around a lab, laughing as he worked with different beakers and vials. The scene changed and showed the same boy sitting at a desk surrounded by medical text books, studying a large volume very intently. Doctor Kureha came over to him to ask a question regarding an in depth procedure and smiled as she patted the boy on the head when he answered correctly. Again the scene changed, this time showing the teen with Sarah. He was sitting next to her on a worn couch looking through a photo album and pointing at various pictures, eagerly taking in everything as she explained who the different people were. Their voices were a bit distorted, but Zoro heard his name clearly and couldn't miss the sparkle in those big brown eyes as the teen looked up at his mother. It was pure adoration and love that radiated from him as Sarah leaned over and moved the light brown curls aside so she could place a kiss on his forehead. A jealous rage began to fill him until he heard Sarah speak again.

"Don't worry, Chopper, he'll love you just as much as I do. Zoro's your big brother after all."

Time froze. The images moved in slow motion as he continued to watch his new brother talk to his mother. Finally the boy was gone and Sarah was settling down in a chair directly in front of the video camera. She fidgeted with the lab coat for a moment before smiling sheepishly at the camera and taking a deep breath.

"My name is Sarah Roronoa. I am currently working with Doctor Magnus Kureha in the field of applied medical science and robotics. In addition to finalizing the materials used in synthetic flesh for skin grafts, we have also made great progress with our project in cybernetics and artificial intelligence. The young boy you saw in the beginning of this video is proof of that. His name is Tony Toni Chopper, and by all accounts he is my son."

Sarah continued to speak about her advancements in nano-something-or-other, and more things that Zoro couldn't begin to understand. But all of it faded to white noise as watched his mother glow with happiness as she spoke about her work. He reached out and touched her face on the screen gently before taking a hold of the laptop and shutting it, ending her presentation.

Moria had taken his parents away. No matter what that feline assassin had said, Zoro knew that the man was behind it in more ways than one. Even if he didn't pull the trigger, so to speak, he gave the order or at least had knowledge of it. And now, Zoro held in his possession the information that the bastard was after. He would use it as bait, and lure them out so he could take their heads himself. He looked over his shoulder and was surprised to see the cook had left the room. Soon he wouldn't see the blonde at all. The case would be over and the idiot could return to his family to enjoy the life he had previously held. Zoro felt his chest tighten at the thought of not having someone around again. It seemed that even in death Moria would still be taking things from him.

Disheartened both by the idea of having a non human brother, and not having his cook any longer, Zoro left the room and headed for the kitchen. He went to the fridge and took out the last beer, reminding himself that he needed to help make a grocery list so that they could go shopping soon. The bottle paused a few inches from his lips as he remembered the blonde would be leaving soon and there was no need to buy a lot of food. He didn't know how to cook, and there was no use wasting it.

"Who pissed on your parade?" Sanji had come into the kitchen to see Zoro frozen in the middle of the room with a depressed look on his face. "What? Are you pissed that you didn't get to kick the pussy's ass?"

Zoro grinned a little at the pun and finally brought the bottle to his lips. He had drank about half when it was jerked from his grasp, a little of the precious liquid spilling down his chin. He used his sleeve to wipe it away and glared at the cook who was finishing off the drink. Zoro grabbed for the bottle, hoping to save at least a little but came up empty with a handful of air.

Sanji let the rest of the alcohol fill his mouth and looked triumphantly over to his watcher. He kept the beer in his mouth and lowered the bottle, intending to tease the man a little more before swallowing but was suddenly shoved against the refrigerator door. Zoro's mouth covered his and a tongue forced his lips apart, allowing the cold drink to escape and be consumed by a hungry swordsman. The feel of Zoro's hands on his chest, along with the man's lips on his own, was just enough of a catalyst to send Sanji over the edge. Before Zoro could pull away, Sanji wrapped his arms around Zoro's neck and turned the exchange into a deep kiss as their tongues swept across each other.

He felt Zoro stiffen, but when the man didn't pull away, Sanji took it as permission to continue. Slowly, Sanji urged Zoro's lips to move with his. He coaxed Zoro's mouth open again and moaned softly when his tongue was met immediately by another. Hands moved down his chest to rest on sharp hipbones and Sanji pulled Zoro closer to him. Their bodies closed in on each other as they kissed, residual adrenaline from the fight rising to the surface and with it Sanji's need. With the fingers of one hand woven tightly into short green hair, he brought the other hand down to grab Zoro's ass and pull their lower bodies flush against each other. Sanji was already hard and he rolled his hips forward to grind his arousal into Zoro, sighing happily as he felt the mirroring hardness. Their lips finally parted and Sanji guardedly opened his eyes to look at Zoro. Confusion and embarrassment mixed with desperation stared back at him.

"We've lived in the same city for several years and yet never met so you can look at this two ways Marimo." Sanji moved his hand from the firm muscle of Zoro's ass to begin untucking the swordsman's t-shirt. "We can go back to our old lives when this is over and pretend we have no idea the other exists, or move my things in after the trial. Either way, I'll still be around." His hand finally slipped under the fabric to run across heated skin as Sanji waited impatiently for Zoro to make his decision.

It came in a rush starting with Zoro almost ripping the oversized shirt off of the cook's body and throwing it behind him. Sanji took the cue and began working with the fastenings of both of their pants at the same time. Zoro tugged his own shirt off and stumbled with his pants around his knees as Sanji began guiding him towards the bedroom. Sanji chucked as Zoro fought to kick his boots off, earning him a nasty look laced with the promise of payback. The cook's own shoes were kicked off easily and he reached out to steady the other man as Zoro pulled his pants the rest of the way off. As soon as Zoro stood, Sanji closed in and kissed him deeply, shimmying out of his borrowed jeans as his hands explored the muscles of Zoro's back and shoulders. With only Zoro's boxers between them now, they fell to the bed, breaking the seal of their lips long enough to settle on the mattress.

Zoro kept his eyes closed, imagining he was in a dream rather than reality. His hands moved on their own, caressing every expanse of pale skin they could reach as he fought for some grasp of dominance. It was nothing like he had imagined, not even the feel of rough stubble as it scratched his face when they moved. He managed to get the man beneath him, only to have calloused hands slide under his boxers and began edging them off his hips, taking away the last barrier between their bodies and leaving him completely exposed. Zoro's breath hitched as he was taken in hand and squeezed gently. He gripped the sheets as the agonizingly slow strokes continued, praying the cook would hurry up and at the same time that the torture would never end.

Tentatively, he released one hold on the bed and let his hand trail down Sanji's side to rest on his hip. He buried his face in the crook of Sanji's neck, telling himself he was only doing it to keep them in close contact and that he was not in fact hiding. The breathy plea barely whispered into his ear gave him the push he needed to move again. The sighs and gasps coming from the blonde gave him confidence, and he nuzzled into the pale neck. Zoro let his teeth graze across the thrumming pulse as blunt nails bit into his back and Sanji spread his legs apart, letting Zoro settle comfortably between them.

"Don't think, shithead," Sanji said as he shifted to move further up the bed. and the heels of the blonde's feet dug into his back as Sanji lifted himself up off the bed. "Just… don't… think…"

Zoro watched the pain on Sanji's face bleed into a look of pure bliss as he slipped past the tight ring of muscle to the warmth within. A triumphant moan mixed in with pleasure filled gasps as he sank deeper and any thought he had of stopping vanished. Blunt nails dug into shoulders and back, slipping in the perspiration that gathered and leaving red welts in their wake. Long deep strokes began to shorten as the speed of his thrusts increased and Zoro watched his newfound lover writhe in pleasure beneath him. Zoro sat up on his knees, bringing Sanji with him and watched in fascination as the blonde took back control; lifting himself up and down and crying out in pleasure.

Sinewy arms tightened around his neck and swollen lips met his again as Zoro took hold of Sanji's hips and slowed the blonde's pace. He could feel the pressure building and wasn't ready for this to be over quite yet no matter how hard it would be to deal with after. The feel of another's hands on his body, genuine words of need whispered and cried out to him, the heat he was buried in, the unusual strength that flowed through the muscles twitching in his hold… He wanted to remember it, because for some reason, Zoro had a feeling he would never have it again.

Zoro threw his head back and cried out as his orgasm took over. The force of emotion threatened to stop the beating of his heart as he fought to gasp for air. His body gave and they fell back to the bed in a tangle of limbs, Zoro's hands seemingly unable to release their hold on Sanji's hips. Sanji's legs unwrapped and they shifted enough to keep any of their extremities from going numb as both men fell asleep; a dark hand still holding onto a pale hip and long fingers entwined in sweat dampened hair.

-/-/-/-/-/-

It was still dark outside, the first indication that something was amidst. The second was the fact that he had an extraordinarily heavy object holding him in place. Lightning flashed behind the drawn curtains as loud thunder began to rumble. The first few splatters of rain could be heard as they hit the window and soon the steady pelting drowned out even the steady breathing next to him. Green hair ticked his nose when he turned his head, and strong arms tightened as the man sprawled atop him nuzzled into Sanji's neck. The cook chuckled, earning him a displeased grunt from his bedmate.

"'G bak t' sleep."

Sanji fully laughed this time and patted Zoro on the ass as he tried to disentangle himself so he could get out of bed. "Nature calls, Marimo."

"Fuck nature."

Zoro lifted his head enough to narrowly glare at the cook before his features fell and dark eyes began to widen. Sanji gave him a quick peck on the lips before slipping out of the now loose hold. "That's all you're getting till you brush your teeth."

Sanji stood from the bed and stretched, amazed at how good his body felt after the rough treatment it received last night. Zoro was definitely well endowed, that was for sure. He turned around to look at the man and almost burst out laughing at the panicked look on the swordsman's face. Knowing it would only ruin the residual high he felt, Sanji opted to keep his mouth shut and not point out the obvious. Yes they had slept together. Yes it had been one of the best fucks Sanji had ever had. Yes Zoro did cuddle in his sleep. Yes Sanji did have every intention of doing this again. No he would not keep his mouth shut forever. The blonde grabbed the sweats off the dresser and slipped them on, now fully awake and extremely hungry.

"Hey, you want something to eat? I'm gonna see what there is to scrounge up for a midnight snack."

Zoro blinked a couple times before nodding slowly. Sanji shook his head and rolled his eyes as he headed for the bathroom. As he washed his hands he could hear Zoro snoring faintly over the storm, probably having fallen back asleep the instant he left. Waking him again would be useless, and Sanji knew the idiot would be up at the smell of food, something he seemed to share in common with his dark haired friends. Sanji dried his hands and sighed. Life had finally taken a turn for the better, though the cook would have never guessed that the catalyst would have been a grouchy, green haired swordsman who was about as close to Sanji's opposite as they come. Still… Sanji couldn't help but smile as he went in search for his cigarettes.

He dug around the kitchen counter where he had left his lighter and was about to turn on the lights when his fingers hit the cool metal of the Zippo. Cigarette between his lips he flicked the lighter and came face to face with the image of death itself. Sunken eyes peered at him from between strips of white fabric wrapped around the man's head, whether as a mask or bandage he didn't know. White hair was pulled up high on the back of the man's head in a fashion that gnawed at Sanji's memory. Lightning flashed again, illuminating the intruder's silhouette and the sword that hung at his side. Before the cook could utter a sound, a heavy fist backhanded him across the face, sending him flying across the dark room. Thunder rolled again, covering the scuffle and Sanji hit the stove hard, knocking the teapot off to shatter on the floor.

The shards of porcelain bit into his feet as Sanji sidestepped to dodge his attacker's next move. Flashes from the storm made it difficult to keep his eye on the man; his eyes having to readjust constantly to the difference in light. Pots and pans were knocked aside as they wrestled in the small space, neither able to fight well in the confined quarters. Sanji's eyes went wide as he watched the blade of the sword emerge from its sheath. Before he could even blink, the blade had made its first swipe, removing part of the curtain of hair that covered half his face.

"You fucking bastard," Sanji growled, all apprehension finally gone leaving only fiery hatred in its wake.

A bare foot, dripping blood from a shallow cut flew with impressive speed toward the assassin's head, only to have the leg blocked by the flat edge of the sword. Again and again, the cook continued to attack, only to have his attempts parried and tossed away. Still, a small grin began to appear on the blonde's lips. Only a few more feet and they would be out into the open space of the living area and he could attack more freely. Unfortunately, so could the swordsman. The timing had to be perfect. With a grunt of satisfaction, Sanji gave one last kick at the man's chest, sending him back just far enough for the cook to flip to his hands and deliver a barrage of attacks to the unprepared assassin. As soon as he was back on his feet, Sanji realized his mistake. Breaking through the assassin's defense had only succeeded in pissing the man off.

"FUCK!" Sanji yelled as he sprang back, missing the blade by centimeters. He managed to flip to his hands and tried to catch the attacker under the chin, just as he had done to the cat freak earlier that night. When his feet finished their arc without contact, Sanji knew without a doubt that this must be the King Brook had warned them about. The musician was right when he said this assassin was on a totally different level than all the rest. His revelation came too late though and he felt the sting of the blade bite into his abdomen as he failed to move fast enough. He opened his mouth to scream at the man and the world shifted s he was tackled from the side and thrown out of the way before the assassin could do any more damage. In a blur of movement, Zoro had managed to get him to safety and withdraw two swords from his case.

Sparks flew in the darkness as the blades collided with each other, the older man easily knocking aside both of Zoro's weapons with his one. Still, the wooden sandals made almost no sound as they danced around the room, matching each other's movements effortlessly. It was as if they had choreographed and rehearsed everything a million times just so they could get it right and not land a hit on the other man. Only the most skilled fighters could accomplish such a feat.

Zoro crouched down and crossed his swords in front of him as he prepared to lunge. He watched the attacker settle the tip of his blade on the floor and cock his head to the side. The casual nonchalance irked him and Zoro used the next flash of light as his cue to attack. The assassin met his charge with equal force and used Zoro's momentum against him. The table shattered as Zoro was thrown back, and the assassin started for his initial target again.

Sanji readied himself and kept a hand pressing against his wound, though he was fairly sure the bleeding had slowed enough. He would be the first to admit that this fight wouldn't be won easily, but somehow they _would_ win. They had to, because losing meant death. The cook shifted on his feet, eager to pay the assassin back for spilling first blood. Thunder rolled again, a little further in the distance this time as Sanji started forward.

"Oi, bastard…" Zoro emerged from the ruined wood and reached into the sword case one more time. "He may not look like much, but he's mine." The third sword was placed between his teeth and he slowly drew himself up to full height as several streaks of lightning fully illuminated the room and Zoro's deadly face.

Sanji stopped at the stricken look on the assassin's face and watched as the tip of his blade fell to the floor with a loud chink. Slowly the man turned and stared at Zoro in shock as wary recognition filled his eyes; the grip on his sword so loose he barely held it in his hand. Too many shadows filled the room to see either of them clearly, putting everyone at a disadvantage, and mounting the tension to suffocating proportions. The cook kept his eye on them as he backed up towards the light switch and felt for it blindly. The second the light flooded the room, three more swords hit the floor; completely falling out of the younger swordsman's grasp. Both men stood slack jawed, mirroring each other in stance as they continued to gawk at each other.

The assassin wore a long white robe with black markings around the tattered edges and wooden sandals, which should have made much more noise than they did. His almost stark white hair was pulled back into a topknot under the bandages wrapped around his head haphazardly; though they appeared to cover his facial characteristics more than any wound he might have encountered. He moved with a grace that obviously belied his age, but it looked as if he had seen better days, for an air of death hung around him.

Zoro wore only a pair of pajama pants, allowing his bare torso to show off the scar on his chest proudly. His green hair seemed to stand out even more against his tanned skin, giving no doubt to his identity. His slack body trembled visibly as shock and fear washed over his face. Never seeing the green haired man so uncomposed, Sanji began to feel panic set in as well. Even that night in the shower Zoro seemed to have at least some grasp on his self control. The cook edged around the room to stand slightly behind Zoro, confused and wary as he tried to make a connection between the two men. Not knowing enough about Zoro's past, Sanji could only make wild speculations though none of them answered why the skilled swordsman was afraid. He watched as Zoro swallowed hard and opened his mouth a few times with no sound coming out, unable to take his eyes off the man in front of him. Sanji put a hand on Zoro's arm to get the young man's attention and the assassin's eyes flickered to the action. In a flutter of fabric, the killer spun around and headed for the window.

Ryuuma, the King, the hired hand of Doctor Hogback and Geko Moria, slipped out onto the fire escape and disappeared up the ladder under the cover of the storm. The fierce hammering of his heart threatened to break his chest open as tears of anger and frustration poured down his face. The rain soaked through the bandages on his face and he tore them off, throwing the scraps of material everywhere. His scarred face, clear to the world now, twisted in pain and anguish as Ryuuma Roronoa stood on the rooftop and screamed into the sky.

/-/-/-/-/-/


	12. Chapter 12

A/N: My apologies for such a long leave of absence. I won't go into details, but instead I'll give you the final chapter of the story.

* * *

-Chapter 12-

Zoro knelt in the middle of the room in dead silence, not even the storm outside reaching his ears as he struggled to breathe; his chest refusing to expand as if it were being crushed by a heavy weight. He was numb and yet full of pain at the same time, while it felt as if someone else had control over his body. His world… his very life… everything, came crashing down in an instant as he came face to face with the man he had intended to kill. A man whom he thought was already dead. Someone who _should_ have been dead no matter how much he wished it to be otherwise.

Thunder shook the room and the family picture on the wall came crashing to the floor; the shards of glass tearing the photo across the man's face. The world shook for a moment before settling, and then suddenly Zoro found himself flying across the room, courtesy of a solid kick to the head from an agitated cook. He picked himself up slowly and searched the room as his thoughts began to form again. Across the room, Sanji was shutting the window and laying down a few towels to soak up the rain that had entered.

"What the fuck just happened? First you knock me out of the fight and then when you have him, you drop your swords and let him go!" Sanji's voice rose with every word until he was finally yelling. "You stupid fuck! What the hell is your problem? Has all that alcohol finally killed the few brain cells you were born with? Damn it! You sure picked a shitty time to grow a conscience, asshole. Who the fuck was he that he was so important you had to let him go?"

"He was my father," Zoro's voice was rough with emotion.

Sanji froze in his attempts to clean up the mess, his anger dropping immediately only to be replaced by guilt and wariness. His chose his words carefully this time. "I thought you said he was dead."

"He's supposed to be." Zoro's shoulders had fallen again, seemingly held down with the weight of his new founded troubles. But they only stayed that way for a moment. And when he lifted his head, a new depth of emotion had settled into his dark eyes; slowly bringing a frightening change. Gone was any of his depressing aura. Gone was the confusion and despair. Gone was any hint of peace or sanity. And gone was every ounce of humanity as a demon began to take Zoro's place. "And he will be if he is the reason for her death."

Sanji's eyes went wide at the wave of fury that swept the room and began to chase after Zoro as the swordsman turned heel, storming towards the bedroom. "Hey, hey… Look Marimo, you can't run off half cocked into the beast's lair all alone. You need to think this out and for fuck's sake would you stop a minute and listen to me?"

Zoro spun around and shoved Sanji against the wall, knocking the wind out of the blonde. Their noses touched as Zoro sneered at him, lacing his voice with a warning growl. "For the past four years I've mourned the death of my parents whom I thought had been taken from me. And up until this past week, I had nothing to even go on to try and bring them peace. Then you show up..." There was a hint of something in Zoro's eyes, but it passed too quickly for Sanji to identify. "Get the fuck out of my house shitty cook. Go back to your life. This isn't your fight anymore."

Having little to grab onto to keep the swordsman from backing away, Sanji hooked one hand into the waistband of Zoro's pants and grabbed a handful of hair in the other. "You're not getting rid of me that easy, asshole."

Zoro hissed as a few tufts of hair were ripped from his head when he slammed his fist into Sanji's face and sent the cook flying. He watched the blonde wipe the blood from his lip and prepared himself for the counter, though not enough. Two feet caught him solid in the chest and knocked him into the mirrored closet doors, shattering them with the impact of his solid form. He barely had a chance to sit up before he had to block the next attack. Grabbing the slender ankle as it came down above him, Zoro jerked hard and kicked up with his own feet knocking Sanji over and onto the floor. Zoro leapt out of the closet and tackled him while he was down, sending them both rolling across the floor; Sanji at a great disadvantage with nothing on the swordsman's upper half to grab onto.

A twist of his upper body and Sanji managed to catch his elbow on Zoro's temple, creating a little more space between them. While Zoro had mass and strength on his side, Sanji was graced with flexibility and agility. The cook hooked his heel under Zoro's chin and pulled, careening his head backwards into a painful position and cutting off the air supply. With a lurch of his entire body, the cook managed to flip the swordsman off of him and rolled quickly away. Not sparing a second, Sanji landed another hit to Zoro's jaw as the man was getting to his feet though this time, Zoro's head merely flew to the side rather than his whole body. Again Sanji attacked, and still Zoro refused to go down. Sanji watched cautiously as the swordsman kept his feet and wondered how long their hospital stays would be if either of them really got down to business. As it was right now, Sanji knew he could be taking a lot more damage; for one because the swords were still in the other room, but also because Zoro had yet to strike at him again.

Taking a chance, Sanji let down his guard and approached the ticking time bomb. He put his hand gently on the rough and now slightly swollen cheek but was knocked immediately away. With a heavy sigh, Sanji took the green haired man's head in both hands and forced it up enough so he could kiss the fool soundly. His fingers tightened in the short hair as Zoro tried to shove him away, and he continued to keep his lips pressed against the others. Zoro's struggling ebbed, though Sanji was sure that the tight grip on his upper arms would leave bruises if it didn't ease up soon as well. When the kiss still wasn't returned, Sanji sighed heavily and pulled back, though never letting go.

"Look, asshole, I'm not leaving. You're just going to have to deal with that." Sanji watched Zoro's downcast eyes flicker slightly before closing and the cook leaned in so their foreheads were touching.

They stood in silence for a moment, tension still high between them as Sanji waited impatiently for a response. He could feel the blood in his arms pulsing under the vice grip Zoro continued to keep on them. If the idiot didn't release him soon, his hands would go numb and the hold he had on the short hair would be useless. Sanji opened his eyes as Zoro released a deep breath slowly and watched the swordsman shake his head. "You're not going to start spouting some fucking poems or shit about love are you?"

The question took Sanji off guard and the cook began to chuckle. "I don't know. Will it keep you from doing something stupid?"

"Not fucking likely." Zoro let out bark of sarcastic laughter, but a slight turn at the corner of his lips told that his mood was at least a little better and his grip on the cook's arms was changing to a much gentler hold.

"What about the promise of mind-blowing sex?" Sanji found the slight reddening of Zoro's cheeks endearing, and filed away the memory for future use. Unfortunately the situation was all too serious for any more silly antics, and besides it wasn't his style. Sanji's voice lost all amusement and he stared intently at the green haired man. "Zoro this is a suicide mission. You can't run into it unprepared. Call for backup."

Zoro leveled him with a fierce look and stepped back. "I have to know the truth. I have to know if my father is really responsible for this. The longer I wait, the greater the possibility that he will be gone again and I'll never know. If it were your father, would you hesitate?"

Sanji nodded in understanding and released his hold on the green hair so that Zoro could walk away. "I'm coming with you."

Zoro paused for a moment and Sanji could see the swordsman thinking hard. They both knew the cook had just as much at stake here, and that he had undoubtedly proved his efficiency at holding his own in a fight, but for whatever reason Sanji somehow knew what the answer would be. Zoro turned to look over his shoulder at the cook and shook his head. "No. I have something else I need you to do."

-/-/-/-/-/-

Though his footsteps were silent, there wasn't anything he could do about the trail of water being left in his wake. The rain had soaked him through to the bone and nothing short of stripping down would relieve the issue. Besides, no one would question his presence here anyway. The only reason for the stealth was to make sure his prey didn't get away. He continued through the corridors to the lower levels after entering from the rooftop, never once pausing for longer than it took to open a door. Every man he passed in the hall stepped to the side, trembling in fear but never uttering a word, hoping that the life the warrior was searching for wasn't theirs.

A soft click of the latch was the only sound as Ryuuma entered the dark room only to find it empty. Completely empty. Not even a chair remained in the doctor's office, and more troubling was the lack of the desk that held the key to opening the pathway to the hidden cell. He was about to begin slicing up the walls when the door he had been seeking opened and a small female figure walked out. She stumbled and Ryuuma caught her without hesitation, cradling her to his chest carefully. The hood of the cloak wrapped around her fell away and Ryuuma felt as though a blade had been driven into his chest. Tear glazed eyes stared up at him from the disfigured face of a woman he barely knew. Ryuuma looked down into the empty cell that had previously held his wife, letting the hatred for his enemy continues to fester and grow. The woman pushed against his chest and he released her, keeping his guard up and ready to draw his sword should the need arise. The hood was pulled back over her blonde hair and the girl motioned for Ryuuma to follow as she left the room.

-/-/-/-/-/-

The off key notes being hummed as he worked echoed in the large workroom. Several tables were covered with different chemistry sets brewing concoctions that only he knew the reason for. Occasionally, faint screaming could be heard from down the hall making the mad scientist smirk evilly as he continued jotting down notes on his latest attempt. Soon his messenger would bring him the missing piece to the puzzle and everything would fall into place. Hogback sighed happily and sat back in his chair, holding out his hand expectantly. He wiggled his fingers impatiently and turned to search for his assistant who should have immediately handed him his tea he'd ordered.

"Cindry? Cindry… Cindry, you wretched thing! Where are you?" An irritated frown replaced his previous contentment as Hogback settled back to his work. "One of these days I'm going to just destroy that worthless wench and make a new one."

-/-/-/-/-/-

Ryuuma flew through the halls, cutting down anything that stood in his way as images of the past filled his mind. The damage done to his wife in the crash was massive and he hadn't thought she would survive. He himself had sustained significant injuries though none of them life threatening, but unfortunately their pilots hadn't been so lucky. The couple was picked up by some rough looking locals and taken to a small third world country hospital with limited equipment and no phone access. When the eccentric doctor mysteriously appeared, Ryuuma thought it was miracle and begged Doctor Hogback to do everything in his power to save Sarah. The man had agreed… for a price. Ryuuma's strength and skill as a swordsman would be needed in gathering information for the good doctor's research and in return the dying woman would be given another chance at life. Blindly Ryuuma accepted and until tonight, he had just followed direction from Hogback so that the doctor would continue to heal her. But now… the madman had sent him on a mission that he should have never accepted. Ryuuma barely paused as his blade sliced through another unfortunate soul who had made the mistake of trying to stand in his way. Blood gurgled out of the man's neck as he tried to scream before falling to the ground.

"Find him… Destroy him… Free us."

The young woman's words played over and over in his mind as Ryuuma continued his search for answers. According to the scarred woman, the instant Ryuuma had left for his mission Hogback had started moving all of his things into the main lab. Test subjects had been moved as well, though the reasoning was still vague. The only think she knew for sure was that it had something to do with that creature. Everything revolved around that _thing_. Cindry had said that there were rumors that the missing pieces they needed to complete the experiment would be arriving shortly and everyone was excited to see the results. It had never occurred to Ryuuma before to question what the beast was made of, why it was created, and more importantly how. Maybe he should have.

Ryuuma screamed in anger as he thought about all of the torment and suffering Sarah had gone through. All of the tests, the medical procedures, the experimental treatments. How much of it was really necessary? Was it all for show? Had there really been any hope of giving him back his wife? The invisible knife in his chest dug in deeper, sending more pain throughout his body. His eyes closed and in his mind he saw the shocked face of his only child staring back at him. Ryuuma clutched his chest and stumbled just outside the doorway to one of the smaller labs. The door was cracked and he turned his head to peer in. Skeletal bodies were laying here and there, some whole and others in pieces but all made of solid metal.

Mechanical men…

The very first assignment he had been given was to obtain a briefcase from a man at a research facility in California. He was told that it held the blueprints for a bio-metal that could be used in reconstructing some of Sarah's shattered bones. His next target had been a doctor of some sort who had a breakthrough in neurological studies. Two more were experts in synthetic organ transplants. After that he stopped asking. He just focused on seeing the life come back into his loving wife. Now, looking at the stages of work in the messy lab, Ryuuma began to understand the sickening reality of what he had helped to create. Somewhere down the hall he heard a man scream, followed by a familiar sinister laugh. Ryuuma straightened, and headed towards the sound intent on gaining answers. May his family forgive him both for what he had done, and what he was about to do.

The creation known as Oz stood amongst the destroyed remains of the assembly room swinging something in circles over his head. Its master called stop and the machine immediately obeyed. What was left of a human arm was dropped to the floor as Oz tromped over to find a new toy to play with. The man in charge chuckled, clearly pleased with the way things were going as the disfigured abomination continued to wreak havoc. Moria sat down in the only remaining chair and tapped his fingers together in front of him. Ryuuma slipped into the room silently and crossed the littered floor towards the foreboding man.

"Ryuuma, my favorite samurai, kishishishi." Moria's voice rang with mockery as the swordsman fought to steady his hand. "Have you brought Hogback what he needed? I hope the new bodyguard wasn't too much for you to handle."

"Tell me that this wasn't all planned out from the beginning…" Ryuuma slowly drew his sword, pleased with the visible stiffening of Moria's body at the sound of the blade being removed. "Tell me you haven't been targeting my family just to make this…. This _thing_."

"Of course," Moria assured. "But then I'd be lying. To tell you the truth, if that stubborn wife of yours had agreed to hand over all of her research we wouldn't be here now. Then she had to go and be all safe and only take part of her work on the plane."

Shadows moved in the darkness behind him and Ryuuma realized he was surrounded. The eyes of the men were dead and lifeless, as if they weren't really there. Defeating them wouldn't be an issue, but the amount of them would hinder his earlier mission to end the life of the bastard behind all of this.

"You see," Moria began as he stood up. "She wasn't supposed to die in that crash. The plane just took off a little later than anticipated so it didn't go down where we planned. But still, we were able to put you to good use. It's amazing how lifelike Hogback can make someone seem. I admit that using her shell of a body had been my idea, but he really pulled it off."

Emotion began to haze his judgment and Ryuuma charged. The lifeless bodies around him sprang into action and he realized that he was facing an army of rejected Oz's. His sword hit the first metal skeleton and he growled as Moria faded into the darkness. Metal and rotting flesh went flying in every direction as the swordsman tried to follow.

-/-/-/-/-/-

It had taken a few minutes to get all of the necessary information together in order for Sanji to be able to do what he needed, but somehow Zoro knew it was the right decision. Now all he had to do was find his father again and get answers. A quick call to Saga gained him the address he needed and Zoro pulled up outside the rundown factory, eyeing it speculatively as he gathered his swords. Every way he looked at this he could only come to one conclusion. The assholes responsible had brainwashed his father somehow and he had to be saved. Well, that was the only answer he would accept at least. A set of doors flew open and two bloody men came stumbling out, their scared faces going even paler at the sight of the swordsman.

"Shit," the least damaged man mumbled and looked around in panic for somewhere to escape. He began stammering and tripped over his own feet as he backed up when Zoro took a step towards them. "Oh God! Please don't kill us! I swear I'll change! I'll never do anything wrong again in my life! Please!"

Zoro grabbed him by the front of the shirt and drew the man up so he could look him in the eye. "Where is he?"

The wounded man blinked a few times and swallowed hard. "Who?"

"My father." The words were laced with warning, letting the man know anything less than honesty would end poorly.

Understanding reflected in his eyes and he nodded shakily. "If you mean the guy who kinda looks like you, they say he's headed for the main lab. It's in the basement."

Zoro released him and the man fell to the ground, immediately forgotten in lieu of trying to decide the best route. He stepped through the open doors and had to quell his stomach as the stench of rotting flesh filled his nostrils. Bloody footprints on the ground looked to be the best track to follow and quickly Zoro hurried through the halls in search of answers. Several bodies littered the area in front of a set of doors that were partially open, giving him a view of the flight of stairs beyond. Lights flickered in the stairwell as Zoro cautiously made his way through the dead men; the smell from the lower level even worse, making it hard to breathe.

Shouts for help drew him in and Zoro found himself in a large room lined with cages. Each one was filled with men and women of varying ages. One held a couple of boys who didn't look to be more than fifteen. Distracted by the gut wrenching scene, he was almost struck by a circular wall decoration flying by his head. The disc shattering against the bars of one of the cages, silencing the prisoners and pushing him into action. Zoro spun around and drew his sword, placing its tip at the throat of the attacker.

"Wait." The feminine voice held a hint familiarity, gaining enough of a pause for her to pull the hood from her blonde hair. "Do not leave them like this to suffer."

The connection clicked and Zoro narrowed his eyes in anger. "You're the one who called me, offering me the job."

A nod of the head and her sad eyes turned back to the captives who began crying out to them again. "My name is Cindry."

"Tell me why I shouldn't kill you here and now?" He kept the sword pressed against her throat though he felt no malice from her. She placed her hand on the backside of the sword, pushing it away as if it were a mere annoyance. A feeling of unease settled around him at her lackadaisical attitude towards his intended threat.

"Because I can help you find what you seek." She met his hardened stare with eyes filled with pain and tears. "Help them, and I will tell you how to find your father."

The sound of his heart beating in his chest drowned out all other noise as he weighed his options. Give in to the urge and run the woman through, or take the time to free the slaves and maybe get some answers. A single tear rolled down her scarred cheek, making his choice for him. An exasperated huff escaped his lips as he turned to examine the cell doors. His eyes followed the cables to the keypad release panel on the wall. Not one for protocol, Zoro thrust his sword into the box and shielded his eyes against the sparks that flew. A buzzer sounded and the doors all clicked open, releasing the captives inside.

He watched her speak softly to them, giving them instructions on what path would lead to the exit. She was helping a young woman with a swollen ankle when he held out his sword, blocking their way.

"I believe payment is due."

Cindry nodded and passed the injured woman to another prisoner. She motioned Zoro to follow and they exited the other side of the now empty dungeon. Several twists and turns later and he could hear the sounds of metal hitting metal ahead. He burst through a set of doors to find carnage littering almost every space of a makeshift laboratory. A glint of light flashed from one of the corpses, drawing his attention and Zoro walked over. Metal and wiring wrapped in human flesh jutted out from where a hipbone should have been.

Metal men. Cyborgs. Robotic humanoids, just like thing in his mother's video. Well, not quite like that, but definitely not living creatures. Their immobile bodies told the story of a mad man who had taken something that didn't belong to him and tried to play God. Anger and hatred consumed him as he sliced the head off of a semi-functioning soldier that had stood up behind him. A bead of sweat rolled down the side of his face and he wiped it away with the sleeve of his shirt. The blonde woman had disappeared while he had been caught up in his thoughts, but he was close enough now that he could follow the sound of metal against metal and find his target. Zoro had barely gone three steps when everything stopped. Unease set in and he stepped up his pace, wondering who it was that had just fallen.

-/-/-/-/-/-

The tires squealed and the truck tipped precariously as he rounded another corner, praying against all odds that his gut feeling was wrong. Beside him, Ace held on tight to the dash to keep from flying around the cab as Smoker tested the old Ford's limits. When the detective realized it was Sanji calling, he had taken the phone away and threatened the blonde with bodily harm if Zoro was doing something stupid. He didn't expect to hear that an attacker had come into the apartment and for some reason Zoro believed his father to still be alive. Hope tinged with fear and apprehension gripped at him as he rushed to the run down industrial park on the outskirts of town.

"I'd like to get there in one piece if you don't mind. I won't be able to help him if you kill us both." Smoker could hear the tension in Ace's voice as the raven worried about his friend.

"Don't worry; I'll kill all three of you if this gets out of hand." Smoker tried to push in the cigarette lighter only for it to fall out into the floor. "Damn it!"

"I tried to tell you I'm not finished working on it." Ace reached for the still glowing object and ended up in Smoker's lap as they took another corner sharply. He nuzzled into the detective's crotch for a brief second until he was pulled up harshly by the hair of his head. "Owwww. Ok… we'll play later."

Smoker allowed the cigar to be taken from his mouth and watched from the corner of his eye as the feisty man lit it for him. The kiss that followed was short but full of promise. "Focus, Portgas. Or I'll handcuff you to this piece of junk and leave it in neutral to roll down into the ravine."

The cruiser was bound to attract too much attention so they had taken Ace's pickup, praying that it would hold up until they got there. There were several rumors of where Moria's suspected hideout was, but only one made any sense; an abandoned factory down by the river. Tires squalled again as he made the turn into the complex. Smoker's mind kept mulling over the thought that his best friend might still be alive, though how and why were still a mystery. He could see the concern lined out on Ace's face as well, knowing there were more questions than answers at the moment, but hopefully soon it would be clear. The building came into view and Smoker didn't hesitate pulling into the midst of the other vehicles and stepping out.

The detective tossed off his jacket into the truck and checked his weapon. It didn't go past Ace's notice that the jitte was slid into some aftermarket loops on the back of his shoulder holster. "Take the east wing. Call and let your men know where you are. I'll start in from the west and we'll meet in the north."

Ace nodded as he pulled the back of the seat forward to reach behind it and retrieve an old-fashioned gun belt with an impressive pistol on each side. He grinned up at the law official as he strapped it around his hips and gave the older man a suggestive wink. "I've been wanting to use these for a long time."

"Just don't expect me to look the other way if you get caught with them." Smoker ignored the way the accessory drew attention to the slender hips and began walking.

"Hey Smoker."

The off duty detective paused and looked over his shoulder but didn't turn fully.

"What would you say if I told you I was willing to give it all up for you?" Ace wanted to laugh at how fast Smoker spun around to look at him with shock and disbelief. The raven smiled softly and turned in the opposite direction to run to his appointed place of entry. "Keep safe out there, Taisa."

He could feel Smoker's eyes on him as he hopped up on the dumpster and grabbed the bottom rung of the fire escape. Ace's question held a lot of truth to it, but he wasn't sure he was quite ready to quit the crime business just yet. He owed his life to Pops and the crew but they weren't the ones to whom he had given his heart.

"Ace."

The raven paused in his climb and looked over to the man who had given him another reason to live.

"I'd say you're full of shit." Smoker felt satisfied at the surprised look on his lover's face and continued towards the east entrance. Ace's laughter lifted a little of the weight in his soul as he reached for the door.

The minute he opened it, he knew something was wrong. The air was tinged with the stench of blood and he could hear screaming somewhere in the distance. Two men came running down the hall and Smoker drew his gun. They appeared scared out of their minds and he let them run past and out the door as they mumbled something about being overrun with demons. The deeper he traveled into the building the clearer the sounds of fighting became and Smoker followed it, knowing that he would find one of two people at the end.

-/-/-/-/-/-

"I remember the first time we met. Of course you were distracted and probably don't recall." Moria blocked and pivoted out of the way, his breathing labored from the taxing fight. The samurai had cleared his way through the substandard soldiers much faster than Moria had anticipated; catching the mastermind unprepared on the restrictive pathway. "You were playing with a young boy who had an uncanny resemblance to you. How is he? Alive I'm assuming. "

Ryuuma sneered and landed a glancing blow to Moria's cheek, leaving a trail of blood trickling down the man's face. They could hear Oz rampaging around somewhere below them as they continued to fight one another on the swaying catwalk. A triumphant sneer spread across Moria's face as the samurai was forced backwards several steps. Thinking he had the upper hand, the malicious master began to get cocky.

"Maybe when you're gone I can get your son to take your place. I wonder if we can keep his mother's body animated long enough to convince him to join?" the madman taunted. The moment the words escaped his lips, Moria knew he had made a grave mistake. The atmosphere around them seemed to explode as Ryuuma parried his attacks effortlessly.

"Her life… is no longer yours to control!" With a burst of raw force, Ryuuma broke through Moria's defense and laid his blade across the large man's throat. "Now yours… is over."

His eyes closed and a plea for forgiveness was whispered as Ryuuma leaned into his sword and let the steel pass effortlessly through skin and muscle to end the battle in a river of red. Moria's sword fell from his hand to fall the distance to the ground below as he clawed uselessly at his throat, his noisy gasps for air doing nothing but aide in the spray of blood across the walkway. Ryuuma wiped his blade across his sleeve, watching intently as the metal was cleaned and all traces of the tyrant were removed. His eyes glassed over with tears as he lowered the sword loosely to his side. Far below, a passionate battle cry drew his attention and his heart skipped a beat as Ryuuma watched his son enter into battle with a hideous creature he helped create.

-/-/-/-/-/-

Oz howled out in anger when his playtime was interrupted by the new man who just knocked the doors off their hinges. This one was similar to the man that Master said would make him better, but he carried two swords in his hands and one more at his side. The childish mind had difficulty processing whether it was enemy or foe, but since he had taken away his fun, Oz decided it didn't matter. The mean man had to go.

The force of the fist that hit him in the chest was much greater than Zoro had anticipated and it knocked him back over several tables and into the far wall. A flash of light off something metal above caught his attention and he looked up to see the outline of another swordsman standing above.

"Dad?" Zoro's voice was strained and he coughed several times trying to draw a decent amount of air into his lungs. He got to his feet and stumbled towards the retreating figure only to be hit yet again. Shaking his head to clear it, Zoro stood and faced the unholy abomination before him. Patches of skin from multiple donors were stitched together over a seven foot human frame that was probably meant to be male. Only one eye appeared to be installed, leaving the other socket empty above a makeshift nose. The mouth was animalistic, the jaw set clearly not human as well as the elongated lower teeth. Horns had been shoved into the head on each side, completing the demonic look; though Zoro had a feeling the creature had made that modification itself. This fight would prove to be the greatest yet.

Sidestepping to the left, Zoro felt the shift of air as the fist passed by him. Each swing was easy to see, allowing him the chance to dodge the blows. The power behind them warned the swordsman that he should continue to do so, but dancing around so much was getting him nowhere. Zoro swung down with both swords on the arm that just missed him, eyes widening when they cut through the flesh and blood appeared to flow from the wound. Oz cried out pulling his arm back and held it to his chest.

The door at the end of the catwalk overhead opened, letting in a stream of light into the room and startling the creature. Zoro growled low, anger taking over as he looked up to watch his father leave his sight for the second time in less than 24 hours. He ran for the ladder, leaving the earlier battle in search of answers. Halfway up, the ladder shook violently and Zoro turned to see Oz close behind. Fearing that it would be another 4 years before he could get this close to answers again, Zoro knew he needed to end this fight quickly. As soon as he was on solid footing, Zoro wasted no time in attacking again, slicing through borrowed skin everywhere he could and exposing the shiny mechanisms beneath. Wildly the creature began swinging, finally catching Zoro across the face in the midst of his blind rage. One sword was quickly placed between his teeth so he could grab the edge of the walkway to keep from falling.

Oz continued his rampage, knocking out support wiring and causing the catwalk to sag and sway. He busted through the metal planks beneath his own feet and crashing through, catching the opposite side as he fell. With a menacing sneer, Zoro used every ounce of strength he possessed and swung the black sword in his hand towards the battered arm across from him. The blade caught at the already weakened forearm and snapped the metal bones, sending Oz plummeting down. It landed on an overturned table, the leg piercing through the empty socket into the computerized brain.

Mental, emotional and physical exhaustion hit him hard and Zoro's hand began to slip. Half-gloved hands caught him by the wrist and began to pull. "Shit you're heavy."

Zoro looked up to see Ace straining to bring him up high enough to get a better hold. The swordsman swung his lower body to hook a foot on the rail and began to help. "It's called muscle asshole so shut up and get me out of here."

"Yah, yah." Ace chuckled as he helped his friend to his feet. They looked down at the destruction and the immobile cyborg among the ruins. "Is it…"

"I fucking hope so." Zoro put his swords back on his hip and headed for the door.

"Hey Zoro! The way out is over there." Ace pointed to the other end of the building.

The green haired man shook his head and continued to where he had last seen the white cloaked man leave. "For just this once, trust me on this. I know where I'm going."

Doubtful but curious, Ace hurried after him, unprepared for what was ahead.

-/-/-/-/-/-

Ryuuma stood on the rooftop watching the rising sun as it came over the horizon. Its rays danced over the wet surfaces, making puddles shimmer in the light. The cold air carried with it a familiar smell of smoke and a sad smile touched his lips.

"It's been a long time, my friend."

The response was barely a grunt if anything.

"She was so beautiful… and he took all of that away from her." Ryuuma held his sword up before him, letting the sunlight play off the bloodstained surface. "I was so blinded by all of his promises of returning her to me that I lost all sense of humanity. He sent me to kill my own son, Smoker. My child. And had it not been for the fact that he is the only man I know to wield three swords, I would have gone through with it."

"But you didn't." One hand he held his pistol, and with the other Smoker pulled the jitte from its loops preparing to defend in case his friend was truly lost to him.

A soft saddened laugh came from Ryuuma as he shook his head and lowered his sword. "No. I didn't. But I can't be forgiven for the lives I have taken." Ryuuma lifted his head high and looked up at the sky. "I leave, knowing that what I did, I did for love and now I can finally be with my beloved. I'll be able to hear her voice, feel her touch and see her bright eyes look up at me as they once did."

"What about the brat? You think he doesn't need you? Shit that idiot is more messed up than you could ever imagine." Smoker cautiously circled to his side and tried to move in closer.

"He's strong. And I'm honored to have him as my son." The sword lowered slowly and Ryuuma bowed his head. "Tell him I'm proud of him."

"Ryu, nooo!" Realizing too late what was happening, Smoker dropped his weapons and ran for the samurai. The sword penetrated through, almost catching the detective as he caught his friend and lowered him to the ground. "Ryu you stupid fuck! This isn't the answer! Damn it you can't leave me again! You can't… can't leave us again."

"Forgive me… Sarah"

For the first time in four years, Smoker felt the tears of grief fall down his cheeks. A familiar hand reached up to wipe the moisture away and he was torn between pain and anger. Blood poured from where the sword had entered and turned as it was pulled out. Ryuuma had no intentions of leaving the rooftop alive; that was for sure.

"But why? You were my brother! Why didn't you come to me for help?" Smoker allowed emotion to take over him and he pulled the dying man to his chest as he denied that he was crying. "We could have helped…"

The body in his arms went limp and Smoker knew he was gone. A soft touch on his shoulder startled him and he looked up to see his lover next to him. Tears shone back from Ace's eyes and he knew the young man understood without saying a word. Ace knelt down and encircled them both silently, offering comfort and strength. Shuffling of feet alerted the detective that someone else was on the roof and he looked up to see Zoro watching them from several feet away.

"Did he suffer?" Zoro asked quietly.

Smoker nodded and laid the body down gently, closing the dark eyes for the last time. "He suffered for four years. Only now is he at peace."

"Was he… did he…" Zoro stumbled to find the words to ask the painful question.

"Your father was the most honorable man I know. He did what he thought was right. You should be proud to carry the Roronoa name." Smoker turned to look at him with a warning in his eyes.

Zoro's return glare was just as strong. Nothing more needed to be said and Zoro nodded firmly. "I am."

Sirens could be heard closing in on their location and the three men knew more questions than they could answer waited for them. Carefully Smoker removed the sword, grimacing as it scraped against the spine and ribs. He threw the offending weapon across the roof and clenched his fists tightly until the wave of grief that hit him was under control. Slowly, the detective picked up the lifeless body and turned to face his waiting godson. When Zoro held his arms out, Smoker didn't hesitate to hand his friend over. As Zoro shifted the weight to better carry the man, Smoker pulled the roof's access door open and made sure there were no other surprises waiting for them.

They walked somberly down the stairs, Smoker leading the way and Ace making sure that Zoro stayed on path. The building appeared to be void of any life now and their footsteps echoed eerily in the halls. By the time they reached the ground, over a dozen police and emergency vehicles had arrived. Guns were pulled on them as they exited the front doors, but fortunately Smoker's familiar face was easily recognized and they passed through to the waiting paramedics. It took a lot of effort and coaxing to get Zoro to release his father, but finally the swordsman relented; his eyes never leaving the man until the ambulance doors closed. His wounds were treated as the crews began to sift through the rubble, exclamations of shock and horror heard everywhere. Windows were broken and all the doors propped open so the men could withstand the smells inside.

Zoro sat on the tailgate of Ace's ford watching everyone run around. It all seemed so surreal to him. The fact that his father was alive all this time had been dampened by the sight of the sword being thrust through his body as he apologized. If Ace had been the first one up the stairs, he might have missed it. Zoro shook his head to clear his mind and turned back to watching Smoker and Garp argue over whose jurisdiction the case belonged. An annoyingly familiar scent ticked his nose and Zoro steeled himself for the barrage of questions he wasn't prepared to answer. When nothing came, he turned to see the somber face of the man who had set all of this into motion.

Sanji took one last drag off the cigarette and crushed it out on the edge of Ace's truck. "After calling Ace, I went to check that storage facility you asked about. It looked like someone had already been there though. A couple of boxes were empty and several were knocked over as if there was a struggle. I think whoever fought there was locked inside because the door was busted outwards."

"Inside? Who would lock someone in? Could you tell what was missing?" Zoro's interest was piqued at the new development and he focused his attention on learning more. Anything to take away from the void that had settled in his chest.

Sanji sat next to him and handed the grief-stricken man a lunchbox. "Eat first. There's plenty of time to talk later when it's not so _busy_ around us."

Zoro nodded as he glanced over the area. "So you feel it too. That we're being watched."

The cook leaned back and braced himself with his hands as he tried to appear relaxed. "Whoever it is, they've been following me since I left the storage. I can't seem to ever get a good look at them though, and I never saw a car tailing me. It's really weird."

Body after body was laid out on the ground, the fatality count rising higher than any of them had ever seen at one incident. A few times someone was still found alive, but never in good shape. Sanji tensed as they watched the paramedics carry out a stretcher with a short, round man who was moaning dramatically though he didn't appear wounded.

"Fucking Hildon. I remember that asshole." Sanji pulled the pack of cigarettes from the pocket of the borrowed hoodie and shook the last one out. "He was the little bitch of the operation. He had all of the shit jobs and played messenger most of the time. Too bad he survived."

"Hn." Zoro turned his attention back to the building and wondered how many more they might find still breathing. The hair on the back of his neck stood on end again as he tried to find his watcher in the crowd. His brow rose in question as he spotted a strange figure by one of the nearby buildings. He appeared to be hiding his face behind the wall and leaving his body standing out for everyone to see. 'Peeking in reverse' thought Zoro. The stance seemed somewhat familiar though. As if he had seen it before. And recently too. His eyes went wide as his memory caught up and the connection was made. "Oi! That's the kid from the video!"

"We've got a live one!"

There were shouts from the building and everything came alive. Police came from all directions with their guns drawn, preparing for whatever might be coming out. Emergency technicians came running as well. The commotion caused Zoro to lose site of the figure and the swordsman jumped to his feet, running in the direction he had last seen it. What he heard next made him stumble and almost fall.

"Her pulse is weak, she's barely with us!"

"Hurry! We need to get an I.V. started immediately."

"She must be one of the test subjects."

"There's not much of a chance."

Zoro spun around and watched as they carried a weak and fragile looking woman out of the building. Her head was shaved clean and her body covered with only a hospital gown. Dark almond eyes fluttered open to meet his and her lips moved stiffly as she mouthed his name. Zoro. A look of pain passed over her face as she closed her eyes again and lay still.

"No," Zoro whispered.

-/-/-/-/-/-

Zoro stood at the foot of the hospital bed looking down on the fragile being that was once his mother. Several tubes and wires came from her body to hook to various monitoring machines. An anonymous file had been sent to the hospital detailing what had been done to her during captivity, making him wish that his father had made the bastards suffer a whole lot more than he did before killing them. If only he could bring them back he'd make sure they suffered a lifetime of hell before letting them cross over to the afterlife.

Below in the morgue, he had been asked to identify the body of his father as Smoker stood at his side. He knew he should hate him for letting everything happen to his mother, but the medical files also had notes about how the 'other' had been manipulated to collect false information. Instead, Zoro felt honor as he looked down at the man who had raised him; understanding that what his father did was done with good intent. He whispered his gratitude to the fallen warrior as they pulled the sheet back over his head. Finally, closure was found as they bowed their heads in respect when Ryuuma was slid back into the vault.

No words were said, but the feel of Smoker's large hand on his shoulder remained even now. Should he need anything, the detective would always be there. Ace had wrapped his arms around him tightly when they exited the cold room; the dark haired man's never ending warmth spreading through him. Zoro allowed himself to return the embrace and envied his godfather for having someone who meant so much to him.

A small warm hand wove into his and Zoro was startled out of his thoughts. He looked down to see a small blond with tears streaming down her face next to him, bunny clutched tightly to her chest.

"When she heard that your mother was in the hospital, she insisted on coming." The cook gave him a cocky smile as he leaned against the doorway. "She wasn't the only one, but she was the most persistent."

"What are you doing here, shit-cook?" Zoro scowled and tried to cross his arms over his chest but couldn't seem to get the right one to cooperate. Chimney held tight and leaned against him, the wetness from her tears soaking into his jeans. He was glad he'd had a chance to get cleaned up before she saw him. He could only imagine her reaction to him being covered in blood. Zoro's anger deflated as the young girl tried to comfort him and he gave in to the little bit of compassion he had in his heart. In one big swoop, he picked her up and closed his eyes as she cried against his shoulder the tears he couldn't seem to make. "You know she shouldn't be here."

"Maybe, but I just couldn't seem to say no to those big eyes." Sanji noted the hint of a smile touch Zoro's lips and began to relax. He walked over to join them as Zoro continued to stand vigilant at his mother's side. "You were there for her when Kokoro was in the hospital and she wanted to return the favor. You support the people you care about."

There was silence for several minutes while Sanji watched them, then he heard the rough whisper. "Thank you."

Zoro opened his eyes just in time to see the cook's close as Sanji leaned in and kissed him. It was soft and tender and lasted long enough for him to register it for what it was, then the cook was gone. Deep red spread across Zoro's face as he watched the blond leave without another word. Zoro settled into the plush recliner next to his mother's bed, adjusting the still clinging bundle so they could both be comfortable. His eyes closed and soon they were both asleep.

"…enough for today."

"…understand that…"

Voices around him brought him out of his nap and Zoro opened his eyes to look around. He was alone in the chair, but not the room. There were two people in white lab coats and another dressed very inappropriately for her age. The sight of Dr Kureha brought him fully awake and Zoro jumped up out of the chair.

"Good to see you back with us," the old doctor jeered. "You should be happy. Thanks to someone very special, your mother will be able to recover. There's even a good chance that she'll be able to live a normal life."

Zoro blinked a few times as the words registered and then let his body slump as he leaned back against the wall. Relief filled his soul and he could feel the emptiness beginning to fade. "Then I owe my life to that person."

Kureha began to laugh as she walked out the room. "Remember you said that, brat."

Lifting his head to look at the remaining two doctors, Zoro recognized one to be Usopp's wife Kaya. She smiled at him gently and shook her head before turning to leave. The final doctor turned around and Zoro stumbled back. .

"You? You're the one who saved her?" There was the teenage looking creation that had been on his mother's videos

"Shut up asshole! I don't need your praise!" The doctor ran from the room in a panic, leaving behind his chart.

Confused, Zoro looked down to the bed to see his mother staring back at him smiling. She opened her mouth to speak but only strangled sounds escaped.

"Shhh. Don't try to talk. There's plenty of time for that later." Zoro hurried to her side and sat on the edge of the bed. He took the hand that weakly reached for him and held it as though it would break.

"Nii-san." The word was barely audible and he almost didn't catch it. When it finally registered he looked away and tried to deny what he'd heard. But… he never could lie to his mother very well.

"Hai, kasan." Zoro hung his head, knowing what she was referring to but not wanting to accept. "I saw the video. I know that's supposed to be my brother, but it was because of _it_ that you are like this. They did this to you in order to find out how you made it. How do you expect me to accept when you've suffered so much? If it weren't for that thing, you'd be… you'd…"

He made the mistake of looking back at her face. There was a knowing look in her eye that spoke loudly. It was silence for a moment before Zoro nodded in defeat. "You'd be dead and I would be talking to a headstone again. I get it."

There was a light squeeze from the hand in his and he looked up to meet her eyes. She smiled and closed her eyes, falling back asleep as he kept watch. He stayed with her until Kaya came to check her vitals again and assured him she was doing well.

His stomach growled and he suddenly was curious as to where the cook had ended up. Wandering around would get him nowhere so he stopped at the nurse's desk to ask if anyone had seen him. A young Candy Striper led him to the cafeteria where he found the ragged blond sitting by himself and talking on the phone.

"…few more days then I'll be home. Look shitty geezer, I said I'd be back and now I'm coming back! I know you can't get that place back up and running without me." Sanji leaned back over the top of the chair and sagged like a rag doll. He heaved a heavy sigh and groaned. "Well it's a little late for that now. Just shut your trap and get some rest old man."

Sanji snapped the phone shut and tossed it onto the table. "How's she doing? Your mother." He looked over his shoulder to gaze tiredly at Zoro.

"Resting. Your father?" Zoro pulled out a chair and sat at the table behind him.

"Not. He's already checked himself out of the hospital and is trying to help with the reconstruction of the restaurant. Of course he's blaming it all on me." Sanji turned around so he could look at the other man without straining his neck. "Have you had a chance to meet him yet?"

"Who, your old man?" His head already hurt from the hunger in his gut, making him try to think was only making it worse. When an answer didn't come, Zoro opened his eyes to see what could possibly keep the cook's mouth shut. He could see the blonde walking back from the counter with a tray of food.

"It's not the best but it's edible. I'll get you something better when we get back to the apartment."

Zoro looked at the food a moment before his stomach let out a loud growl he couldn't ignore. He accepted the tray with a nod and dug in. The cook was right, it wasn't anything like his cooking but at least it would fill him and keep him going for now. An uncomfortable silence fell between them, and Zoro began to think about the conversation he had walked up on. "You're finally able to go home now. So get your shit out of my place and leave already."

The curled brow rose above a shocked blue eye as a look of amusement passed quickly over Sanji's face. "Yah, yah. And leave you alone in that big bed of yours. That'd be too easy." There was another minute of silence as Sanji waited for the argument that never came. Realizing that the trauma of what had happened was probably blocking all other thoughts, he didn't press the issue and instead changed the subject. "Will you let him move in with you?" Realizing the idiot still didn't get who he was referring to, Sanji explained a little further. "Chopper, your little brother. The one your mom made for you. Will you take him home with you?"

The swordsman froze and stared at the last bite of bread that was midway to his mouth. Home. He hadn't given it a thought yet. It had been hard enough letting the cook come into his life, although he had never eaten better in his life. The diner might lose his business for good if… The thought of the diner brought back memories of his father and suddenly Zoro wasn't hungry anymore. He put down the food and pushed the tray away. "What business is it of yours?"

"Well as your wife, I'd like to know how many people we're going to be taking care of. The girls I'm sure will have questions and that nosey landlord, not to mention we need to know how to care for him. I don't know the first thing about…."

The words never reached Zoro's ears as he thought of the teenager tending to his mother and remembered the pleading look she gave him as she tried to speak. If it was her wish, he'd try but calling that thing brother was out of the question. First was the problem of even getting close enough to talk to it.

-/-/-/-/-/-

Chopper smiled happily as he checked Sarah's vitals again. Now that the sedatives were almost out of her system she was able to communicate a little more. She had told him her injuries had taken a long time to heal, but she had been able to move and walk for the last three years. Doctor Hogback had needed her coherent in order to discuss her work so the only times he had drugged her were when Ryuuma was around. Many times she had tried to tell her husband she was ok, but he had been blinded by the exaggerated lies of their captors. Physically, Sarah would be able to recover, but her mental state would require a very tender touch. Chopper made it his mission to see that she had everything she needed to make that possible.

After an hour of searching, Chopper decided that this man was either a mastermind at not being caught or he was able to duplicate himself into several copies. The man's scent was everywhere! He had tried to follow it out of the hospital room and ended up on the roof. Then he picked it back up in the neonatal ward and followed it to the ER. Again he picked it up going to the morgue and lost it somewhere around the cardiac wing. When he was about to give up, he stumbled upon a fresh trail leading to the cafeteria. There in the back corner he found the man he was searching for fast asleep.

There were so many things he wanted to ask his big brother. All of the stories Sarah had told him though didn't prepare him for the real thing. The guy was intimidating. Still, momma had promised him that Zoro would like him so he trusted in that and approached the table.

"Zoro?" Chopper poked him in the shoulder and jumped back. When the sleeping man didn't move, Chopper moved in to poke him again.

Zoro's eyes opened just a slit. "Oi."

"Aaahh!" Chopper screamed and ran behind one of the large columns.

As Zoro had previously seen, the doctor appeared to be hiding the wrong way. His brow rose in question over one eye as he tried to make sense of it. "Aren't you doing that backwards? You do know I can still see you."

Chopper scurried to right himself and peeked out around the column. "I'm not afraid of you!"

The swordsman let out a small laugh and shook his head. "I think mom needs to do some more work on you."

"Momma won't be able to work for a while. Besides, there's nothing wrong with me! She said so herself." Chopper stepped out and shook his fist threateningly. They stared at each other in open curiosity, each studying every detail of the other. "You don't look like her very much."

"Neither do you. But that's to be expected." Zoro narrowed his eyes at the little guy and pointed at the chair across the table. "We need to talk."

It amazed Zoro at how lifelike the creature seamed. Oz was machine wrapped in human parts, a monster in every possible way. But this thing sitting across from him was different. Zoro could feel the heat from its body and see the rise and fall of its chest. This machine was eons beyond any other technology the world had ever seen.

"Mom said that you were a birthday present for me." The only response Zoro got was a nod. "Why?"

Chopper blinked several times, clearly confused. "Because you were lonely. She said that she saved me so that I could-"

"Saved you?" Now it was Zoro's turn to be caught off guard. "What are you?"

"Mostly I'm human, but she had to replace several parts because of the extensive injuries. She put in a microchip processer to help with brain function and the bones in my arms and legs had to be replaced as well. I lost part of my intestines, but she said what I had left would be enough if I ate correctly. One of my eyes is artificial and my kidneys and lungs aren't organic but my heart…" Chopper's eyes filled with emotion. "My heart is definitely human."

"You're real? And she did all this for me?" Zoro tried to understand what would make his mother do something so extensive just for him. True her research would end up saving millions of lives, but to test it out on a kid and give him as a present? Zoro slumped back in his chair in bewilderment.

"She loves you." Chopper moved to the seat next to Zoro and studied him with a very serious look. "All of the other doctors said I would die because of my injuries. After they left I was scared and crying, and she happened to be passing by. When I told her what they said she tried to comfort me. When I told her I didn't have a family she told me about hers. She talked to me for hours each day. I learned all about you.

With no family the state had to make a decision about what would happen to me. The only relative I had was a distant cousin who wanted nothing to do with me. I begged Momma to save me so that I could have a brother like you. So she got him to sign over custody and adopted me. After that there were several surgeries and a lot of rehabilitation but here I am. The brother she always wanted to give to you but never could."

Thoughts kept colliding in Zoro's head as he tried to wrap his mind around everything. A mother that had been presumed dead for four years. A father that had basically committed seppuku because of his own shame. A brother that was half human, half his mother's technology. A blonde cook that had invaded his house and his mind. Cyborgs, assassins, intruders, lovers. This had been the week from hell. Zoro rubbed his temples and groaned.

"Are you ok, brother?" Small hands began probing at his head and chest to check for the reason for his pain. "You weren't hurt bad were you? I thought they checked you over really good. I know Sanji tried to hide his injuries but I could tell."

"He's hurt? How bad?" Zoro sat up straight and alert, the ache in his head pushed back for the moment.

"A few stitches on the bottom of his left foot. The cut in his abdomen didn't require stitches, but he'll need to take it easy for a week or so. Otherwise he's fine." Chopper cocked his head to the side. "He seems to care about you a lot."

"He's just a shitty cook. But… I owe him. If it weren't for him I wouldn't have found her. Or you I guess." Zoro crossed his arms and narrowed his eyes at the teen. "Just where have you been hiding?"

"Hiding? I haven't been hiding? I've been living in your apartment building for over a year now with Dr Kureha. I've been in the elevator with you a time or two. We shop at the same grocery store. I even sat behind you at the diner once."

"What the fuck!" Zoro threw his hands up, frustrated. A strange sound caught his ears and he looked to see his new little brother covering his mouth with both hands, trying to stifle his laughter. "Glad you're amused."

That sent Chopper into a fit of laughter and the more Zoro tried to quiet him down and argue, the harder the little doctor laughed to the point of tears rolling down his cheeks. It didn't take long for the cafeteria workers to come and ask them to leave. Together they walked back to Sarah's room, Chopper talking the entire time as Zoro nodded and grunted. It would take some getting used to, but knowing that at least most of his little brother was real helped greatly in his acceptance. Zoro stood in the doorway as he watched the teen talk animatedly with his mother, telling her all about their talk and how they were getting along. Her smiling face sealed his decision and Zoro wondered if he would need to buy a new place since all the rooms were filled at the apartment.


End file.
